Rain Must Fall
by drotuno
Summary: It's always been said that Mother Nature finds a way to assert her power. This time, she unleashed something that walls and fences couldn't contain. Separated by an entire country, Edward and Bella must fight to stay alive in a world determined to destroy them, a world Edward must cross to get to his family, and a world where the dead don't always stay dead. Rated M AH/ExB
1. Prologue

**A/N… Yeah, I'm back. ;) I'll make this quick… This was a fic I'd wanted to write for 2 years. It took three outlines to get it here. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, though for those of you familiar with my "rules," they are still in full affect. If you aren't, they are up on my profile.**

**That being said, this story comes with WARNINGS: Tissue, violence, graphic descriptions, and angst (though that last one is a debate between my pre-readers and beta, but I thought I'd toss it in there). I've been asked if this is horror…not really. I'd classify it as action/adventure/thriller…and of course, romance, 'cause that's just me. ;) SO…Rated M for all the things I usually do (action, violence, romance).**

**Here's the usual spiel… I don't own these characters, but I truly love to play with them. They're all SM's. However, the plot and original characters belong to me. **

**See me at the bottom. Strap in, hold tight… Off you go…**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Prologue**

_**April 10, 2013**_

_**Hurricane Beatrice Sets Course for Disney World**_

_Tropical Storm Beatrice has gained speed and strength as it sits off the west coast of Florida. It shows no signs of slowing down, and its path seems set to barrel through the Sunshine State._

_As a precaution, state officials, upon the order of President Parker, have ordered military backup and security to be brought in to not only secure military bases but to lend a helping hand once the storm passes by. Troops from all over the country are being ordered into the tropical state. _

_The Red Cross is asking for volunteers in the medical and construction professions to lend a helping hand…_

**~oOo~**

_**April 15, 2013**_

_**Category Five Storm Destroyed Most of Central Florida, Military Base in Crumbles…**_

_Due to the sustaining hundred and fifty mile per hour winds, several beaches, towns, and ports along the west coast of Florida were destroyed. Hurricane Beatrice's strength built over the course of two days, stirring up waves in the Gulf of Mexico that rivaled that of a tsunami. Tampa Bay—mainly Bayshore, Davis Island, and MacDill Air Force Base—are in crumbles. The military base is now partially under water, with very little hope of salvaging any of the buildings. Most aircraft were evacuated several days prior, and the ones unable to fly were damaged or underwater._

_From Panama City, south to Port Charlotte, the damage is unimaginable. Power and phone line outtages are scattered throughout central Florida, and communication is down at Patrick Air Force Base on the eastern coast. While the Atlantic side of the state didn't have any high waves or flooding, they did receive high winds and several tornados. _

_There are rumors of security breaches at Patrick AFB, but government officials say the base is under control…_

**~oOo~**

_**May 2, 2013**_

_**Reports of Untreatable Flu-Like Symptoms Coming in from Japan, Great Britain, and U.S.…**_

_The CDC—the Center for Disease Control—has issued a warning of a new global flu. It's been reported that a new highly contagious virus is making its way around the world.__The new strain has caused a few deaths in Japan, Great Britain, Brazil, and the U.S. Citizens are being warned to cancel any travel plans and to stock up on supplies._

"_Staying home and out of the public is the best way to avoid catching this new influenza," states a member of the CDC, who wishes to remain anonymous. "It spreads quickly. The symptoms are high fever, nausea, even death…"_

**~oOo~**

_**May 5, 2013**_

_**All Air Travel Temporarily Shuts Down to Contain Virus…**_

_Airline officials called a press conference yesterday, stating that all flights in and out of the U.S. are canceled, with no date in sight as to when they will resume._

_Military officials stated that due to the damage inflicted by Hurricane Beatrice and the recent influenza scare, the entire state of Florida is quarantined. No flights are allowed in or out of the state, and road blocks are stopping any traffic. People are being urged to stay home…_

**~oOo~**

_**May 7, 2013**_

_**President Parker Succumbs to Virus, VP Now in Command…**_

_Vice-President Hawkins was sworn in as Commander in Chief yesterday, due to the untimely death of President Parker. No statements or autopsy reports have been issued, but according to anonymous tips, President Parker was taken ill with the flu that has claimed the lives of reported thousands around the globe._

_The Department of Defense has stated that contact with the governments of Japan, China, Great Britain, and Russia is down. According to satellite images, there are power outtages across the globe._

_Religious groups, including the Vatican, have issued a world-wide statement that the end of days are near…_

**~oOo~**

_**May 10, 2013**_

_**Rumors of Virus Being a Leaked Bio-Weapon Causes Uproar in D.C.…**_

_Thousands of protestors outside the White House fence were urged to go home at gunpoint. Martial law has been effect for several days in various cities around the country. Most communication has been lost, and power is out in the larger cities from New York to Los Angeles._

_Congress, Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense refuse to answer for what has now been dubbed "The Zombie Apocalypse." The massive flu virus is now rumored to be an escaped bio-weapon that had been housed at Patrick AFB._

_Scientists have stated that the virus starts as flu-like symptoms, only to destroy the brain tissue. The result is something out of a horror movie. Most states have reported more deaths, fires, and these reanimated bodies, but since communication is down in over 85% of the country, there are no updates._

_Looting, riots, and fires have all but destroyed our city of Seattle. Due to the fluctuating power issues, the Seattle Times cannot continue to publish. We wish everyone the best, and may God have mercy on our souls…_

**~oOo~**

**EDWARD**

_**Blackwood Lake, Washington**_

_Five months and ten days since Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

I flipped the page of my son's scrapbook, my heart hurting. He was so much like his mother in some ways that I couldn't help but smile, despite the circumstances. He may have looked like me, but he was smart and meticulous like my Bella.

Swallowing thickly, I gazed around the cabin. Nothing looked disturbed. They'd fortified the windows and doors, and there were enough supplies in the cabinets and stacked on the floor to get them through another week or so.

I flipped another page or two, noting some tears, some vacant spots where something had been ripped off the paper. I sighed at the poem he'd stashed in there, not to mention a few pictures, some ticket stubs from a Mariners game I'd taken him to, and a pass to the Seattle Zoo. Freddie loved the damn zoo.

Setting the book down on the bed that had obviously been used by my son, I scoped out the rest of the cabin. Melted candles stood cold on the mantel next to pictures of my wife and me. There were lanterns scattered about the place, although they were low on oil. Two makeshift beds were set up in the spare room. The master bedroom hardly looked touched, which made panic rise up in me concerning my wife. She'd done exactly as I'd asked her, but…

I'd spent the last several months trying to get to her, only to arrive to empty entire camp looked abandoned in a hurry. Vehicles and RVs were parked in various places, but no sign of life, no movement, not even the fucking birds chirped.

However, the sound of rain pelted down on the roof, which caused my skin to crawl. Rain was never fucking good, and neither was the setting sun. The combination of the two would bring a long fucking night, and I wasn't sure my group had any more fight left in them from the last hundred miles we'd traveled, especially after seeing Forks.

I stepped into the living room of the cabin I'd dreamed about more over the last few months than anything else. There was a part of my soul that was ripping in half, that was crumbling to the wood floor at my feet. My wife, my son weren't here, and there was no way to know where they went or even if they were still alive. That last thought almost brought me to my knees just as the door flew open and the sound of the telltale groans, growls, and snapping of teeth met my ears.

"Get your ass outside!" Emmett snapped, looking exhausted like the rest of us, but there was a spark in his eye. "We got aherd moving through, and they're focused on your dad's cabin."

My eyes narrowed as I pulled out my weapon. "They smell something?"

He smiled slowly, and it was evil and hopeful and determined all at the same time. "Doc says there's a bomb shelter under that bad boy. Didjoo know that?"

"Wha… Well, yeah, but I forgot about it…" I darted out the door and into the rainy night with him close on my heels.

The sheer size of the herd of foul, dead beasts brought me up short. There had to be well over two hundred of the putrid bastards.

"Holy fuck! They're migrating from Seattle," I breathed, shaking my head. They hadn't noticed us yet, and they were scoping out my dad's cabin like ants with a bowl of sugar. "Oh, they smell something, all right…"

Emmett and I moved slowly, quietly, until we reached the rest of our group parked at the edge of Blackwood Lake. They were from every walk of life, ranged in ages from toddler to the elderly, not to mention the giant Rottweiler panting in my face from the back of Dad's pickup truck. We'd accumulated, lost, and accumulated even more people the entire way from the east side of the country to the west. They were good people merely trying to stay alive in a world that was determined to kill us all. And the dog… Fuck me if Sasha wasn't a loyal-as-hell and deadly member of our group. And had been since we set off on this fucked-up journey.

Scratching her ear, I took a deep breath and let it out. "Sasha, draw 'em out. Everyone else? Get someplace high and safe. Make sure to take enough ammo with you inside the cabins. Go, go, go," I ordered quietly, turning to Emmett once everyone started to move. "You and me? We're getting inside my dad's cabin. As soon as Sasha draws them away, we'll move in."

Emmett grinned, though I noted it was weary as he wiped rain off his face and nodded. "Sasha, separate!" he ordered, and the large dog launched herself off the back end of the truck, hitting the ground at full speed. Her growl was low, menacing, as she bared her teeth.

She moved quickly, smart enough to stay just out of reach of those walking-dead bastards. The herd banging around the cabin shifted their attention to her – something moving, something edible, something attainable. They moved quickly, their senses sharpening not only with the rain but with the night falling.

My personal ammo was low, so I opted for my long knife, slipping slow along the edge of the lake. Emmett opted for his Marine sword – a weapon he'd grabbed at Patrick Air Force Base. What had once been a symbol, something for show, had now become his favorite weapon. It was quiet, saved ammo, and did the job from a safe distance.

Gunfire erupted across the camp, from the inside of my cabin, from the four-wheeler that was racing around the lake. But finally, I noticed that some was coming from the windows of my dad's cabin.

"Watch for friendly fire," I grunted as I slammed my knife through the eye of the closest biter. His teeth snapped once before he fell to the ground in a wet thump.

We worked our way slowly, and I lost count of the kills I'd made by the time I dodged the gunfire coming out the windows. It was the arguing on the other side of the windows that made me finally speak.

"Jasper! Hold your fire!"

Everything came to a standstill for a split second, but then I heard the shuffling of feet, raised voices, and finally, the lock on the door clicked. A rifle barrel was pointed in my face the second the door flew open. I froze at the same time Emmett aimed his .45 inside the cabin.

"Everyone…_stop_!"

When the rifle barrel was lowered from my face, I saw Jasper glaring at the man with his finger on the trigger. Jacob fucking Black sneered back at me, and I knew under other circumstances, he'd have pulled the trigger, whether I was a zombie or not. That bastard hated me. But it was the gasp behind him that caught all our attentions.

"Bella," I breathed, finally setting eyes on one of the most important people, one of two who I'd been fighting to get to these last long fucking weeks.

Her gun dropped to the wood floor and her hands covered her mouth as tears welled up in the prettiest brown eyes I'd ever seen. It looked like her knees were about to give out, and despite how weary I was, I was inside and across the room in a blur, catching her up in my arms.

"Edward?" she sobbed, wrapping herself around me. "I knew it, I knew it… I knew you were coming…"

Groaning, I held her closer, but she fought me, cupping my face. "You're here. You're real."

I couldn't speak. I didn't think that moment would ever come, so I could only nod, kissing her fingers as she muttered about waiting, about having to leave, about things that didn't make sense.

"Where's Freddie?" I asked, but Bella's gaze locked behind me at the same time the fight from outside met the front door.

She scrambled down from my arms as the door collapsed inward. It was then that I noticed where she was standing – over the trap door in the floor. However, an explosion ripped through the night sky, sending all of us to the floor. Covering Bella with my body, I took the brunt of it, but a sharp pain caused my vision to blur.

My last thought as I locked gazes with my wife was that at least I'd been able to see her one more time.

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… I know it's short, and to make up for that, Chapter 1 will post Thursday. That won't always be the case, but I figured what the hell… This will update regularly every Sunday with the possible surprises in between.**

**I need to thank everyone that's working with me on this… JenRar, who takes the red pen to it with a vengeance. My pre-readers: inkedupmom, DrivingEdward, GooberLou, and Mimi Holmes (who wanted this fic more than life itself ;) LOL) A special thank you to Edward'sEternal for being a huge support.**

**There will be a playlist, but not quite yet. The banner is by me, with help from JenRar, and it can be seen on my blog, Twitter, and FB…all links are on my profile.**

**I think that's it. I'll see you guys on Thursday… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N… ***I'm posting a day early for you guys, simply because my schedule is a little wacky this week. It was either early or a day late, so…there you go. ;) *****

**Wow! Thank you guys so much for the welcome back! :D Your response was huge, and I can't thank you enough. Even the ones that bowed out gracefully…I understand. This won't be everyone's thing. But it is a story I've been itching to write, so it'll have my usual touches in it. ;)**

**For those that guessed that the prologue was the middle of the story and the place we had to catch up to…Exactly. ;) And…I've written about 10 full chapters, so I can honestly tell you that the prologue was the only cruel cliffie… This will be told in Bella's and Edward's POVs, but in no particular rhythm. **

**With that being said, we'll go back a little and meet Bella…**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 1**

**BELLA**

_**Forks, WA**_

_Two months after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

I pulled the truck into the driveway and turned off the engine. My hands gripped the steering wheel as I took in my home, a lump forming in my throat at how it was almost unrecognizable.

My beautiful home that was once pale-yellow with white shutters now looked like something in a ghost town, with the first-floor windows boarded up. My street was clear, but that didn't mean it would stay that way. My hedges and flowers were destroyed by trampling feet from securing the place and from…those other things.

"Mom?"

I turned to look at my son. He'd already seen too much since all this madness started, and I was damned certain he'd see more before it was all over. At least, I hoped he'd see the end of it.

At seven, Freddie was the clone of his father. From the unruly hair that topped his head, to the half-smile he'd give me when he was in trouble, all the way down to his long legs. It didn't end there. Even the way he fidgeted was like his dad – cracking the knuckles of his fingers, bending the long digits in ways that looked almost painful, although they both were double-jointed, so they assured me it didn't hurt.

Watching him at that moment, I'd never missed my husband more.I wouldn't be making these decisions alone, and we sure as hell wouldn't have to worry about our safety.

"Ready, Freddie?" I teased him, trying to keep it light, but we were about to abandon the only home he'd ever known for a place he hadn't seen in a few years.

"Yeah, but…" He pointed out the window. "Grandpa Charlie's here. Is he still pissed we're leaving?"

I snorted. "Probably. And don't say pissed."

"Dad says it."

Grinning in spite of it all, I nodded and opened the truck door. "Yeah, well…your dad says a lot of things he shouldn't. C'mon, buddy. We've got to get loaded up."

The stench in the air wasn't as bad as it had been a few days before, when Forks had been hit with the worst of it all, so stepping out into the midday sun was bearable. Watching my father kneel down to Freddie's level, I shook my head at their whispered secrets to each other.

I started for the front door, leaving the two of them, but stopped when my dad called me.

"Bells, wait!"

I turned at the top of the porch steps, narrowing my eyes and waiting for another fight, but he merely grasped my son's shoulder for a moment.

"Freddie, you need to go upstairs to your room and pack your duffel bag. Make sure you take plenty of socks and undies."

"Okay, Grandpa."

I handed Freddie the key as he ran by, only to fold my arms across my chest. "_Now_ you're telling him to pack? Dad, four weeks ago, you told me I was crazy for heading up there."

My dad held up his hands in a surrendering gesture. "Four weeks ago, my town was safe and under martial law. Now, most of the town is either gone, dead, or…or…"

"Turned." The word I supplied was correct, but it landed between us almost with a heavy thud.

He sighed wearily but nodded, reaching for his baseball cap to readjust it. He still hadn't addressed the real reason I was pissed, so I stepped forward, speaking low enough my son wouldn't hear me.

"You also said I was crazy for thinking Edward was still alive." My lip twitched, but my eyes burned with tears I couldn't shed – wouldn't shed. Not yet.

"Jesus, Bells… I didn't mean it that way. Just…he's so far away, and I just… Oh, baby girl, I just don't want you to hold on to false hope."

I was shaking my head the entire time he spoke. "No. I'm not listening to this."

I started to turn around, but Charlie grabbed my wrist gently and turned me to face him. "You haven't heard a word since…"

"Dad, _no one_ has heard anything…_anywhere_. But _he knew_ something was fishy. He knew. He said his gut told him something was about to go down, and he was right. He said if it did, then we were to get out, get away from people. He knew it the day the hurricane hit Florida."

Dad nodded, scrubbing his face with a shaky hand, only to smooth his mustache. "Bella, he's all the way across the country. You can't possibly think—"

"Please." It was all I had. It was all I could beg from him. "Please, don't. I _need_ to hold on to this…for now. I have to…for my sanity, for my son. I need to trust Edward on this…if only to get us someplace safe. He made me swear, Daddy. I can't break that promise."

The tears that burned my eyes welled up and spilled over, and I found myself wrapped up in my father's arms.

"Well, he wasn't wrong, Bella. In fact, it's the smartest plan," Dad admitted against my forehead. Cupping my face, he pulled me back so that he could look me in the eyes. "Seattle is…" He sighed deeply, shaking his head. "Seattle is on fire, sweetheart. Whatever security the military was providing is no longer functioning. The streets are a warzone, between survivors fighting for supplies and food and those…those _things_ hunting down the survivors. All power, communication, and highways in and out of the city are completely shut down. It won't be long before people and those things start making their way out of the damn city and into the country."

_Things_. No one wanted to call them what they were. They'd been given every other name in the book but what they truly were – the undead, the walking dead, biters, walkers, the infected, monsters. Unfortunately, they were people we knew, people we'd grown up with, people we'd laughed with, dated, loved. They were friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers. But they'd changed. They'd died, but they'd come back as something from a nightmare, from a horror movie. They were now…zombies. It had all happened so damn fast that some days, it didn't even seem real.

"Then leaving is imperative, Dad. Please, come with us," I begged him, gripping his police uniform shirt.

He looked pained at the request but kissed my forehead again. "I can't. Not yet." When I started to argue, he bent his knees so we were eye to eye. "I'm responsible for these people, Bella. You know that. I have to make sure every last one is either moving on, dead – _really_, dead – or safe enough to leave behind. Shit, kiddo, I've got the old folks' home still completely filled to capacity. I can't just leave them."

I nodded, hating that he felt he had to stay, but growing up with my father as the Fork's chief of police helped me understand. The people of Forks loved him, depended on him.

Nodding again, I kissed his cheek.

"You won't be alone, Bella," he told me. "And I need to ask a favor of you."

My brow wrinkled in curiosity. "What favor?"

"I need you to take some people with you. There are plenty of cabins up there. You'll need the safety in numbers for the trip, and you'll help me by getting a few more people out of this town."

"Who?"

"Sue and Seth Clearwater…and…Jacob and Billy Black."

I groaned, rubbing my eyes with the heels of my hands. "A middle-aged woman, a kid, an asshole, and a man in a wheelchair. Jesus, Dad, are you trying to get us killed?"

I heard a familiar chuckle behind me, and when I turned toward the sound, I smirked at the laidback form that was leaning against my father's truck.

"Aw, now Bella… You and I both know you're not counting the positives. Sue's a damn good cook, and Seth is pretty quick on his feet. Billy is a helluva damn shot with a rifle in his hand, but yeah, Jacob's an asshole…there's no getting around that one," Jasper drawled, pushing off the truck and walking to me. When I chuckled, his easy grin curled the corners of his mouth. "Besides, you're not the only one who made Edward a promise," he added, raising an eyebrow at me. "My cousin made me swear on a stack of bibles, my mother's grave, and my own soul that I'd keep you and Freddie safe. I plan to keep that promise."

"He's coming," I vowed weakly.

"If I was a betting man, then my money would be on Edward," my dad stated with a nod. "Believe me, I want that to be true. I can't fathom what would happen…"

"Charlie," Jasper warned, shooting my dad a sharp glare, but his dark, blue eyes were softer when they looked back to me. "Anyway, I'm going with you, which means we need to leave at first light tomorrow. Can you be packed up by then?"

Nodding, I said, "I was planning on it."

"Good, then we'll start with the supplies Charlie brought you." He pointed toward the tarp-covered truck bed. "You go get what you need out of the house. We'll pull out first thing in the morning," he stated, shoving his hands in his pockets. "And Bella, be prepared for a long ride…and an even longer camping stay at the cabin. It won't be a smooth journey. The highway will be a cemetery, and I'm hearing rumors that those rotting bastards are traveling in packs now, so…we'll have to be armed and move carefully and quickly."

Swallowing thickly at the mere thought of it, I nodded. "Thanks, Jasper."

"He'd do it for me," he muttered before walking to my dad's truck to start unloading and organizing. I caught sight of gas cans, bags of charcoal, bottles of water, and several boxes.

Turning back to my dad, I tried one more time. "Please, come with us."

"I'll meet you there. Give me time, Bella, and I'll be right behind you. Now…let's get you loaded and the house packed up."

~oOo~

_**Northbound, Highway 101**_

The growl of Jasper's motorcycle engine slowed, and he tossed a signal over his shoulder for us to pull over. The sound of rocks and gravel popping underneath the large tires of Edward's truck was reminiscent of the sound of bones breaking. They sounded almost identical, except maybe drier.

What normally would have been a little over an hour's drive had taken us almost two full days, and we weren't anywhere near close to the turn-off we needed. The 101 was just like Jasper had predicted. It had been a graveyard – sometimes a quiet one, and sometimes a threatening one. We'd had a close call or two, but glancing into my side-view mirror, I could see we were all hanging in there.

I shut off the engine to save gas and watched as Jasper scouted ahead. His bike had come in handy, giving him the ability to squeeze through traffic jams or find an alternate route.

There were woods and trees all around us, but all seemed still. Up ahead, as far as I could see to the bend in the highway, were stopped cars, trucks, and RVs.

Turning to Freddie, who'd been pretty quiet since our last stop, I nudged his shoulder. "Hanging in there?"

He nodded, reaching up to push his hair off his forehead, but his brow was furrowed and his mouth was in a tight line when he turned to face me. "I could help, you know," he stated, practically glaring my way with eyes so familiar they made my heart hurt.

I wanted to laugh at his temper, but I couldn't. The thought of my baby with a gun in his hand scared the living shit out of me. But this was a new world, a dangerous one at that, which made my head shake back and forth slowly.

"Grandpa Charlie said I needed to learn. Even Jasper says so. And Dad said—"

"Edward Anthony Cullen Jr!" I snapped, my eyes closing for a moment. I took a deep breath and let it out. "I know your dad said he'd teach you when he got back." Cupping his face, I tilted my head at him. "Gimme a break, kid. I know this isn't easy. I know you want to help. You're strong and brave like your daddy, but let me think about it, okay?"

"Yeah, but…"

Squishing his face to shut him up, I said, "I'm not saying no, Freddie. I'm merely asking for time to think about it. If I say yes…and I mean _if_, then I want to do it in a controlled environment at the cabin. Not out here in the middle of nowhere, where something could go crazy. Got me?" I asked, releasing my hand from his face and running my fingers through his hair.

He smirked at me, but at least he didn't roll his eyes. "'Kay."

When he sulked, facing out the passenger window, I nudged him again. "Hey," I whispered, leaning my head to the side so that it was resting against the head rest. "You _do_ help, Freddie. You've got sharp eyes, and you…"

Movement off the side of the road caught my eye, and my nostrils flared.

"There's more than one," Freddie whispered, tapping the window lightly. "I see…four, maybe five?"

"Okay. Don't move, and stay quiet," I ordered him, reaching for my gun on the dashboard. I waited until he nodded before reaching for the door. Silently, I slipped down out of the truck, barely making a sound when the door clicked closed.

Behind me was an extra car that wasn't in the original plan. By the time Jasper had pulled up to my house two mornings ago, there was an extra vehicle in the caravan. Behind me was a middle-aged couple, Jack and Carol North, driving an older truck with a topper on the back. Behind them was Sue and Seth's RV. It was older, but it was tall enough we could use it as a lookout spot. The last vehicle was Jacob Black's truck.

Dodging between Jacob's truck and the back of the RV, I climbed up the ladder to the top of the RV, finding Seth already there with binoculars in hand.

"Seven, Bella," he whispered, giving me the binoculars to see for myself. "Seven, and if we shoot one, we'll draw them all here."

"I know," I whispered back, "but if we stay here much longer, they'll smell us. Luckily, for the moment, we're downwind."

Seth groaned but nodded. He was a sharp kid. He was pushing fifteen, with russet skin and a happy smile. He was the only child Sue still had living at home, and he watched over her like a hawk. They, just like the rest of us, had lost contact with the rest of their family. He had two older sisters away at college, and no one had heard from them.

Seth was also wicked fast on his feet. He was good at scouting out supplies that we might need in some of the traffic jams we'd driven through. And having grown up on the reservation just outside of Forks, he'd learned to hunt, so he wasn't half bad with a gun in his hand.

I could hear Jasper's bike coming closer, and I sighed, looking back at Seth. "We're not going to have a choice. His engine will draw them in, and I have a feeling we're gonna stop for the night."

"Dammit," he groaned, setting the binoculars down and reaching for his rifle. "You want up here? I can take Jake with me on the ground."

Shaking my head, I waved him away and made my way to the ladder. "I'll take the ground. Just watch my back," I said on the way down, finally dropping to the asphalt.

Pulling my gun from the waistband of my jeans, I waved Jacob out of his truck.

"How many?"

"About seven…give or take."

We stepped to the shoulder of the road, about the time one of the creatures stepped out of the woods. I grimaced at it, noting its slow gait. One arm was hanging misshapen by its side, while the other hand opened and closed stretched out in front of it. Its jaw was askew, and the flesh was now a purplish-black.

"Fuck me, they stink," Jacob muttered, shaking his head and raising his shotgun to his shoulder to aim.

I could still hear Jasper's bike coming, but this would most likely be over before he arrived. I raised my gun and aimed, popping off the first round.

There were a few things that drew the zombies in – loud noise, the scents of humans, and movement. Despite their corpse-like state, their senses were still sharp, if not sharper than when they were human. They never tired, never wore out, but kept going until they found a food-source. Nighttime made them much more active and feral, but the rain made all of those things a thousand times worse. Something about the rain enhanced every smell, every noise, and every movement. The night Forks fell, the rain never let up.

My shot took down the first one, which caused the rest of his small pack to turn our way. Five more emerged from the woods almost at the same time, and Jacob popped off three rounds, while I took the other two.

"We got more!" Seth cried out, his rifle sounding off above our heads as what looked like ten more stepped from the trees.

I took the left, and Jacob took the right, clearing most of them before they could even set foot out of the shade of the pines. The pack was way bigger than we'd estimated, and they kept coming, one right after the other. I heard a vehicle door open and close, and Jack joined us with his own weapon. As fast as we could take them out, the quicker they'd spill out of the trees.

Jasper's engine roared, only cutting off completely at the same time I heard Freddie's cry.

"Mom! Behind you!"

Swinging around, I fired my last two bullets in my clip at the two closest to me, but there was another coming. I reached for another clip as fast as I could, but as soon as I aimed, an arrow flew by my head, lodging in what looked like an old woman right in the middle of her forehead. I let out a breath, giving a quick nod to Jasper, who was reloading his crossbow. He lifted it quickly, nailing two walkers at the same time – one right behind the other – essentially skewering them through the middle of their heads.

"I leave you for ten minutes!" he teased above the din of gunfire.

Shaking my head, I smirked but took out the last straggler near me. "Yeah, well…you know what Edward always said…"

Jasper's laugh was low and easy. "Yeah, that you were trouble from the get-go."

Grinning, I nodded, ignoring the pain in my chest from missing my husband as I scanned the woods for movement. Jasper's arrow flew silently into the shade of the trees, and a body thumped down to the ground.

"Clear!" Seth called out.

Jasper walked past me, taking his spent arrowsback. He couldn't afford to leave any behind; he only had so many, though I was pretty sure he had plans to make more once we got to the cabin.

"We'll stay here tonight," he said, gesturing around us, only to point up the highway. "We've got a long day ahead tomorrow, and there's no rerouting. We've got no choice but to push and tow cars out of the way. We'll use Edward's truck and Jack's to do it. Plus, there may be some fuel to siphon."

"All right," I sighed, suddenly very tired, but my temper rose to the surface when I heard Jacob's usual complaints.

"Who the hell put you in charge?"

I rounded on him. "My father, Jacob. If you don't like it, feel free to turn back and go ask him about it. I have no problem continuing on without you."

"So sweet, ice princess," he drawled, grinning my way. "You'd leave me with my handicapped father…"

"Oh, no…no, no, no. Billy is more than welcome to come with us, but you?" I said with a grin, pointing a finger in his chest. "You, on the other hand, not so much."

"You need to let the past go, Bells," Jacob sneered, shaking his head.

I laughed, turning away from him. "You're the one who picked a drunken fight with a combat soldier, Jacob, so don't cry to me about it."

Jacob's hand landed on my shoulder, and I spun around to face him, waiting for the old, misguided argument. "He was touching my girlfriend."

"Oh, Jacob…I wasn't your girlfriend. You'd made sure of that the moment you cheated on me. And this is almost _ten years ago_. I married the man who so skillfully handed you your ass on a silver platter. If you can't deal with me…or Jasper, then go back. Otherwise, shut your mouth and try to find a way to be helpful. I know it goes against your nature to not look out for number one, but give us all a break."

He started forward, but his father stopped him.

"Jacob, if she shoots you, I wouldn't blame her. Now get over here and help me out of this godforsaken truck!" Billy ordered, and Jacob's sneer twitched a little before he walked to his father. "She's doing _us_ the favor, son, so keep your mouth closed."

I walked to Jasper, who was smiling crookedly as he cleaned his arrows. "Want me to mistake him for a biter? I can shoot him in the middle of the night. No one would suspect a thing…"

Chuckling, I shook my head no. "No, let's just set up camp here for the night. I'll take first watch on the RV once we've eaten."

Jasper looked like he wanted to say something, but he merely nodded, smiling, and ruffled my hair. "By the way, Edward would've already shot his ass."

Snorting into a laugh, I nodded. "Don't I know it, Jasper." My laugh trailed off, and I locked eyes with my husband's cousin. "God, I miss him."

Jasper nodded solemnly. "Yeah, me, too…me, too."

~oOo~

_**Olympic National Forest**_

Four days and twelve hours. That's what it took to travel a little over forty miles. We'd run into three packs of zombies moving down the highway, more car accidents than I could count, one set of dangerous-looking men traveling south –they'd moved on quickly once they'd caught sight of our weapons – and we'd acquired two extra mouths to feed.

I glanced into the rearview mirror at the two sleeping forms in the backseat of Edward's crew-cab truck. The mother and daughter were exhausted. They'd been trapped in their camper in the last pile-up we'd had to navigate on the 101, for who knew how many days. They'd been down to their last bit of food and ammo when we'd stumbled upon them and pack of zombies moving through.

Angela Weber, who looked to be somewhere around my age of twenty-nine…maybe a little older, and her daughter, Janie, who was eleven, had no place else to go. Angela's husband, Ben, had turned. In fact, it had been his changed form trying to rip through their camper door when we'd pulled up. Jasper had put an arrow through his head.

"Mom, where are we?" Freddie asked softly.

"Sol Duc Road," I told him, tapping the map in his hand with one hand while steering with the other. "We're smack-dab in the middle of the Olympic National Forest."

Sol Duc Road was surprisingly empty and free of traffic, which was both comforting and a worry at the same time. It made for easy driving and at a faster speed, but it also meant we were almost to Blackwood Lake, which meant we'd be on our own for who knew how long.

"How many cabins are there?" Angela asked softly from the backseat.

"Four," I told her, starting to slow down to look for the private drive, though Jasper was leading the way just fine. "My father owns one, which Sue, Seth, Jacob, and Billy are taking. Jasper has one, and the Norths are going to stay with him. My husband and I own one, and you can stay with us. You and Janie can take the spare room."

"And the fourth is Grandpa Carlisle's, right?" Freddie piped up.

"That's right," I sighed deeply, taking the narrow private road.

The other half of my family had been clear across the country when everything started. My husband and his company, including our good friend, Emmett McCarty, were called in to Florida when the path of Hurricane Beatrice was dead-set on hitting land. Edward's father was a former army surgeon, as was his mother, Esme, but she specialized in disease control. All of them had shipped out almost two months prior to go help where needed. My husband's company would be extra security in and around base, not to mention keep the peace if things had gotten out of hand. And they had. Way out of hand. We hadn't heard a word from them since the hurricane. A little over two months was all it had taken to destroy the world, the US government, and all we'd ever known.

Shaking my head to clear it of the last frantic conversation I'd had with Edward, I smiled in the mirror. "We'll open up the fourth cabin if we need to, but for now, you guys can stay with Freddie and me."

Jasper's brake light glowed bright red in the shade of all the trees surrounding us as he pulled to the side. He stepped off the bike to unlock the chained gate, pushing it wide open so we could all pull through.

I stopped beside him. "You want me to wait?"

"No, I'll be right behind you, Bells." He glanced up for a moment. "And we may have just enough sunlight left to actually sleep indoors tonight," he added with a grin. "We'll have to secure windows and doors, store food, but we should just make it by nightfall."

"Let's hope so," I told him, and he patted the truck before waving me on.

The private drive wound through the woods for another mile or so but emptied out into a clearing that always made me smile, made my heart beat faster. So many memories at this place. I could imagine my husband's face as I pulled up in front of our cabin. Edward loved it here, but even more he loved to tease me about this place. We'd made love for the first time in the small log home in front of me after he'd returned from Afghanistan. We'd been crazy in love with each other, and that hadn't changed a bit over the course of ten years – eight of those married and seven as parents. It was this place where we knew that we'd be together for the rest of our lives. He'd been about to ship out for another tour – this time, in Iraq – but we knew we were it. Every time we'd come back here, he'd wear the sexiest of crooked grins, always raising an eyebrow at me.

Rubbing my face to stop the tears, I sent a silent plea to whoever would listen to send me my husband home, before opening the truck door.

We just barely got the three cabins fortified by the time night fell. Luckily, there were no interruptions with zombie packs, and the night was looking to stay clear of rain. Angela was a huge help inside my cabin. She stored the food, set up four beds, and even started a fire while the rest of us barricaded windows, sorted ammo, and parked the vehicles strategically around us. The youngest of us gathered firewood, helped Sue prepare dinner, and unloaded clothes and supplies. By the time Sue actually fed us, the entire lot of us were exhausted; even the kids were falling asleep at the table, so Angela and I guided our sleepy ones to my cabin.

"Go brush your teeth, buddy," I told Freddie, and when he started to complain, I shook my head. "Edward Anthony Jr., do not argue with me."

Angela's chuckle met my ears. "He's a junior?"

"Yes, and he's his dad made over," I said, pointing to the framed pictures on the fireplace mantel that were lit from the handful of candles and a lantern.

"Oh, wow, you're right," she said through a soft laugh, holding up a picture of the two of us. "Handsome."

Smiling, I nodded. Edward was truly handsome. With green eyes, a sharp jaw, and a smile that could wipe away the worst of days, Edward was beautiful. And he was beautiful – inside and out. The picture she held up was from our second honeymoon, which we'd spent here for four days – the first had been spent at a hotel just before he shipped out. He'd wanted to marry me before he left, and it was fast and perfect. But the picture she was holding was of our real honeymoon. He'd come home safe from Iraq, and I'd just graduated from college with my accounting degree. It was the two of us laughing, playing, and Edward had turned the camera on us. We were hopes, dreams, and happiness incarnate.

"Where'd the Freddie come from?" she asked with a smile.

I chuckled. "My husband doesn't care for nicknames, and we'd considered using Freddie's middle name, but Edward didn't like that either. He was 'Little Edward' until he was about a year old, and Edward was toting him around the house just before we were supposed to be somewhere. When Edward asked me, 'Are you ready, Freddie?' his son started laughing hysterically. Edward asked his son the same question, and Freddie squealed into giggles again. It just…stuck."

"It fits." She smiled my way, but it fell quickly when she looked back at the picture of Edward and me. "Can I ask…?"

"He's Army, so he was sent to Florida just before Beatrice hit," I answered softly, my chest aching.

I could tell she couldn't quite decide what to say. I knew how it sounded. The entire world had been thrown into hell, and Edward was pretty much on the other side of the planet. He was technically at ground zero, where all this originated. I knew the odds, but I couldn't face them just yet. My heart wouldn't let me.

Movement caught my eye, and I saw my son standing in the doorway. Smiling his way and picking up a lantern, I shooed him into his room. "C'mon, kiddo. You'll need some sleep. I hear a rumor that Billy is taking you guys fishing tomorrow."

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes as he crawled under the covers. In his hand was the scrapbook he'd been keeping for the last two months. I wasn't sure why he had an obsession with the virus. My guess was that he'd figured out where his dad and grandparents had gone. He had to have put two and two together from the news. I didn't have the heart to stop him.

"Can I see?" I asked, and he set it in my hands.

The meltdown of society was all right there in the headlines.

_**Hurricane Beatrice Sets Course for Disney World…**_

_**Category Five Storm Destroyed Most of Central Florida, Military Base in Crumbles…**_

_**Reports of Untreatable Flu-Like Symptoms Coming in from Japan, Great Britain, and U.S.…**_

_**All Air Travel Temporarily Shuts Down to Contain Virus…**_

_**President Parker Succumbs to Virus, VP Now in Command…**_

_**Rumors of Virus Being a Leaked Bio-Weapon Causes Uproar in D.C.…**_

The rest of the articles started to dwindle down, but I could see that Freddie had stashed a few things in there that were important to him – pictures, ticket stubs, Edward's old dog tags. I trailed my finger down those, feeling the raised letters, the dents and dings in them.

Freddie settled in against me, and I wrapped an arm around him, dropping repeated kisses to the top of his head. Turning the page, my heart lodged in my throat. Somewhere, Freddie had found a copy of the poem Edward always quoted us when things looked bad, when there seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel. He'd quoted it to me over the phone and in letters more times than I could count when we'd been separated due to his job.

"Read it," Freddie asked softly. "Please, Mom."

I kissed his head again, leaving my lips there when I spoke. "Okay. _The Rainy Day_ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow…"

"_The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;__  
><em>_It rains, and the wind is never weary;__  
><em>_The vine still clings to the mouldering wall,__  
><em>_But at every gust the dead leaves fall,__  
><em>_And the day is dark and dreary._

"_My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;__  
><em>_It rains, and the wind is never weary;__  
><em>_My thoughts still cling to the mouldering Past,__  
><em>_But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,__  
><em>_And the days are dark and dreary._

"_Be still, sad heart! And cease repining;__  
><em>_Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;__  
><em>_Thy fate is the common fate of all,__  
><em>_Into each life some rain must fall,__  
><em>_Some days must be dark and dreary."_

We were both quiet, absorbing the words Edward tried so hard to instill in us, but this seemed the darkest and dreariest of times. The harshest yet.

"Mom?"

"Hmm?"

"You think Dad'll come?" he asked through a long, deep yawn, looking so much like Edward that my heart nearly shattered right there in the small bed of the old cabin.

Brushing his unruly hair off his brow and thinking he needed a trim, I kissed his forehead, breathing in deeply the scent of little boy and grass and a slight musty scent that filled the cabin, which had been closed up for too long.

"I really hope so, kiddo."

"He promised, right?"

Smiling a shaky smile, I nodded, kissing his forehead again, but I had to squeeze my eyes closed to fight the tears. My son would never see my fear. I had to stay strong, had to keep going, if only for him.

"That's right; he did promise, and he's never broken a promise to us. Ever."

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… Next up is Edward. That chapter will post on Sunday. :) As you can see, you'll be able to monitor the time and places. Honestly, I did that to keep myself straight. LOL **

**Again, a big thank you to all that have rec'd, reviewed, or FB'ed about this fic. I don't really have any questions to answer just yet, so I'll see you guys then. Mooches, Deb ;)**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N… I love you guys, seriously. :D I wanted to answer one question here before we moved on… ******This IS NOT a Walking Dead crossover****.** It's influenced by the show, but it's also influenced by several other shows, movies, and books. And then there's the stuff that's all mine.**

**One more thing… While most of the places are real, some of them have been altered/changed to fit. While you're about to learn about Patrick AFB, what it contains is untrue. However, some places are completely fictional. **

**I know you're itchin' to see about Edward, so I'll let you get to it… We step back in time a bit, but you'll see why…**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 2**

**EDWARD**

_**Patrick Air Force Base, Florida**_

"_We have a security breach, Cullen!"_

"_Parts of the base are already flooding…"_

"_We've lost power, and the backup generators need to be…"_

"_Shut this wing down! Shut it down now!"_

The sounds around me sounded far away – breaking glass, alarms, gunfire. That last sound made me flinch as I tried my damnedest to come up out of the fog I was in, but pain shot through every inch of my right side. It felt like flames licking at my skin, from the inside out.

I tried to claw my way up out of blackness as familiar voices, sounds, and smells wafted all around me, but the pain was too much. Stars exploded behind my eyes, blooming into stark white, and I sank into it.

**~oOo~**

"_Fever, contusions, concussion…"_

"_I don't have a choice!"_

"_Both of them…we're gonna lose both of them…"_

The voices around me were so familiar that my heart hurt. I fought the fire, the pain, the cloud of fog in my head. There was an urgent feel around me, like I needed to get my ass up and be somewhere, but I couldn't focus on it. My head pounded, my leg throbbed, and my chest felt like someone was sitting on it. Still, I fought it all.

"_Son, you need to calm down…"_

"_Edward, can you hear me?"_

"_Give him something for the pain…"_

The pain skyrocketed from my head to my feet. As quickly and as forcefully as the pain slammed into me, the feeling of tingling bliss felt like a cool blanket that started in my head as the aching calmed enough for me to let go.

**~oOo~**

"_Edward, what're you saying?"_

"_Listen, Shortcake. I think…I think there's some hefty shit about to go down. This storm caused a helluva lot of panic around here. I want you safe. I need you and Freddie someplace safe."_

"_Baby, you're scaring me…"_

"_I know, Bella, but I need you to listen. Something tells me there's more than just some flooding and broken windows. The higher-ups are freaking out. I need you to promise me…even if you don't hear from me, 'cause comms are sketchy. I had a bitch of a time calling you. But you get Freddie, your dad, and Jasper out of there and up to the cabins. Promise me, Shortcake!"_

"_I promise, Edward, but…"_

"_No, no…no buts, baby. Please do as I ask. I'm begging you. I've heard shit around here that makes me fucking nervous…"_

"_What about you?"_

"_Don't you sweat me, Bella. I'll get to you, no matter what. Tell me you know that."_

"_I do, Edward. You know I do, but you're too far away. And that storm…"_

"_Tell me you love me, Shortcake. That's all that matters to me. If you say that, then I'll go AWOL to get to you and Freddie."_

"_Oh God… Edward, I love you. Please, please be safe."_

"_I love you, too, baby. Cabins, Bella. I'll find you there."_

"_Edward, wait! You're cutting out…"_

That voice. I needed more of it. I needed it like the air I was breathing. It felt instinctual, but I couldn't pinpoint why. And the fogginess in my brain couldn't place a face to the voice, though all I could do was fixate on finding it.

The dream faded, the voice being replaced with beeps and echoes. My head gave a dull throb, but at least the fire in my veins had stopped. I chased the dream, but it left me in a puff of smoke as soon as the bright lights of the room filtered in.

"Take it easy, son," I heard to my right, but I couldn't open my eyes just yet.

"Bright," I rasped, trying to swallow, but my throat was too dry.

"Okay, hang on."

The lights dimmed a little, and I was able to barely crack my eyes open. The figure beside me was blurry but felt familiar.

"Son, can you hear me?"

"Yeah," I groaned, trying to reach for my face, but my arms were restricted. "What the fuck?"

I struggled against the restraints, feeling cool hands on my face. "Edward Anthony, you need to calm down now."

I froze, panic coursing through me. "M-Mom?"

"Shh, please stay calm. You've been in an accident, and you needed fluids. I had to put an IV in your arm, but you kept pulling it out."

Sagging back to the pillow behind me, I groaned in frustration. "Where am I?"

"You're in a medical facility…" Her voice trailed off, and I tried to look her way again, but she was still blurry.

"Hospital? What the hell happened?"

"Not…" She sighed, and I felt her fingers on my wrist, only to brush my hair from my forehead. "It doesn't matter right now where you are, but, Edward, there's been an accident. Don't you remember?"

She released one of my bound wrists, and I rubbed my face, shaking my head. "I remember the storm, alarms going off…" Squeezing my eyes closed, I fought the throb in my head. Finally, I was able to open my eyes all the way. When I saw my mother's face, it shocked me. "Mom?"

She looked…exhausted, terrified, and pissed off all at the same time. She was pale, not the vibrant woman I knew. She leaned forward, dropping a kiss to my forehead, a sob escaping her.

"I thought…for a moment there… Christ, Edward…I thought I'd lost you."

My agitation grew by leaps and bounds, because I couldn't think. I couldn't remember why she'd be that upset.

"Mom…. Mom! Help me sit up. Tell me!"

The head of my bed raised up slowly, and I shook my head again but wrapped a weak arm around her when she hugged me. She smelled like antiseptic and sweat and smoke – no, not smoke…gunpowder, which set me on edge. She didn't smell like my mother, not the way I remembered.

She pulled back, swiping at her tears. "There's so much to tell you. You've been out for…a while."

"Okay, well…start with why I'm in a hospital bed. Where's Dad? And Emmett? And my company?"

My mother seemed to steel herself. "Edward, the only way for me to do this is to ask you what you remember. You know…name, rank…all that."

I snorted weakly but nodded. "Staff Sergeant Edward Cullen, from Forks, Washington." Something about that statement made me antsy, nervous. I paused, rubbing my temple. "Why…do I feel I have someplace to be?" I muttered to myself but looked to my mother, whose brow was furrowed. "Anyway, my company was shipped to Florida… Security detail for a storm that hit. I remember the base flooded and parts of the north section collapsed, but…" I shook my head and looked up at her. "Is Dad here in the hospital? What about Emmett?"

"Emmett…he's in the next room. He's…hanging in there. He'll be okay, but it was touch and go for a bit. But, sweetheart, the rest of your company…they didn't make it. There was an incident."

"I know. The storm."

"No, son. _After_ the storm."

I stared at her for a moment and then shook my head. "I don't know!" I rubbed my face with my left hand, letting it fall to my lap. My fingers balled up into a fist on my thigh, the gold ring on my finger glinting in the dim light. My heart hurt, my chest felt tight, and I opened my hand to look closer, my thumb running over it on the inside as my dream echoed in my head.

"_Oh God… Edward, I love you. Please, please be safe."_

"_I love you, too, baby. Cabins, Bella. I'll find you there."_

My breathing picked up. "Mom… Where's Bella? And Freddie? Do they know?"

My mother inhaled sharply, but she didn't answer me right away.

"Yes? No?" I rubbed my temple, squeezing my eyes closed tightly for a second or two. "I thought I heard her, but had to have been a dream…" Glancing around, I looked for a phone. "I need to call her, let her know I'm okay. Where's my cell phone?"

Mom placed her hand on top of mine, saying, "It won't work, sweetheart. Communication is down everywhere."

"What? The storm?"

She flinched but nodded. "The storm caused a huge chain of events, Edward."

My temper flared out of my control. "Jesus Christ, Mom! Would you stop talking in riddles?! Tell me what the fuck is going on! Is the storm over?"

She flinched but turned when my door opened. My dad strolled in, not looking any better than my mother.

"Edward, you need to calm the hell down before you hurt yourself."

"Dad, tell me… And while you're at it, tell me why I can't think straight and why I can remember some shit and not others," I snapped, reaching across my body to pull at the Velcro on my right wrist. "And while you're doing that, get all this shit off me!"

My dad's hand landed flat in the middle of my chest. "Only if you calm down, son. I mean it. This won't be an easy conversation, but you need to hear it. Promise me you'll stay calm, and I'll explain everything."

His voice, his face, his furrowed brow told me that he wasn't to be fucked with, but his unshaven face, the dark circles beneath his eyes, and the state of his clothing told me there was a bigger picture here and I needed to let him lead.

"Okay," I whispered, looking between them. "Can I get up?"

They glanced at one another, but my dad nodded. "Yeah, let me get this IV out of you."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the room, and I squinted a little when my mother turned the lights back up so my father could get to work. He carefully removed the needle in my arm, wrapping it up with gauze and tape. He stepped to the cabinet and pulled out a pair of scrub pants and a white T-shirt, setting them on my lap.

"I'll help you dress. You're gonna be sore, Edward, so just let me help you. You're not the only one who needs to be…briefed. Emmett's awake, too."

I nodded, setting the clothes aside and carefully pushing myself up off the bed. My right leg was sore, and my limbs felt weak. There was a bandage wrapped around my calf, just below my knee.

"Damn, how long have I been out?" I asked him, pulling the shirt on over my head.

"Ten days. Some of that we kept you under to help you heal."

My eyebrows shot up. "You're joking…"

"No, son, I'm not." He held my arm while I pulled the loose pants up over my underwear. "Sit for just a second, please."

Nodding, I did as he said and sat on the edge of the bed. He stood in front of me, shining a light in and out of each of my eyes. He stayed quiet as he checked me over, finally placing both his hands on my shoulders.

"You were in the north section of the base when it collapsed. Some debris fell on you, which is where your concussion came from. There was an explosion, and shrapnel lodged in your leg. It wasn't too deep, and I was able to repair it, but you'll have to give yourself time to heal completely."

When I nodded, he smiled a little, but I noticed it didn't reach his eyes.

"You said you had a hard time remembering stuff," he stated, and I nodded again. "Like what? Tell me."

"Um, I remember getting to Florida, the storm… I know why I was here. I remember calling Bella after the storm, but I can't remember why I was so urgent. I can't remember how I got hurt…or how I lost my company."

My dad's face was clear of any expression, but he nodded. "You had a pretty bad concussion, Edward. So your memories may be spotty for a little bit." He smiled, patting the side of my face. "Do you remember what you said to Bella?"

Frowning, I nodded. "Yeah, that if something happened to get to the cabin, but I don't know why I'd say that…or I can't remember."

"That's okay. It'll come, and we'll help you."

"Maybe if I could just talk to them…"

"No, son… You can't. The phones are down – both landlines and cell service."

"Damn, how bad was this storm?"

"It's not the storm, Edward. It's what the storm…unleashed," he stated with a dark look, helping me to my feet. "C'mon. Emmett's in the next room asking the same questions you are. I might as well tell you both at the same time."

Suddenly, it occurred to me how quiet the hospital was – no bustling nurses, no overhead pages, nothing.

"Um, where's the staff? Nurses?" I asked him, following him out of my room and down one door.

"I'll explain," he sighed wearily.

The next room was identical to mine, from the cabinet to the hospital bed. Emmett, however, was sitting up, letting my mother look him over.

"Ed," he greeted with his usual grin, but he looked like I felt – tired, sore, groggy. "What the hell do _you_ remember?" He held up his arm, which was wrapped up in a temporary cast.

I snorted. "And I was hoping you'd tell me."

"I got my ass kicked. _That's_ what I know." He held up his Velcro cast again for emphasis. "I know you've been out longer than me, but you kinda took the worst of that explosion."

"I don't remember that part. The last thing I remember is calling Bella."

"Oh." Emmett looked confused but nodded. "But, dude…that was a few days after the hurricane hit."

"Jesus, how many days have I lost?!" I yelled, glancing around the room.

"Like I said, you were unconscious for ten days. The fact that your memory is sketchy isn't exactly a surprise," my dad explained. "It's been four weeks since the storm touched land. It traveled across the state of Florida, right through the center. It moved slowly, destroying just about everything in its wake. It was a category-five storm, which rivaled that of Katrina or Andrew."

"And I was there when you called Bella," Emmett stated. "We were barely getting a signal as the storm passed over us. You were freaking out 'cause you'd overheard someone say something about security breach and Department of Defense." He rolled his eyes to my dad. "Okay, Doc, let's hear it."

My dad pinched the bridge of his nose, sitting down heavily in the chair. "Sit, son. This won't be easy to hear for either of you." He gestured to the chair in the opposite corner, while my mother stood beside him.

We were all silent for a moment. It was tense and heavy. Again, I took in my parents' disheveled appearance. Normally, they were better put together than what was in front of me. My dad hardly went a day or two without shaving, but he had what looked to be almost a full week of growth on his face. Reaching up to my own face, I had about the same. My mother, on the other hand, was the one who worried me. She was gaunt, her skin sallow, and her hair, while usually perfectly combed, was drawn back in a low ponytail.

Frowning, I waited, because I had a feeling I was about to hear some heavy shit.

"This isn't a hospital," Dad finally stated, gesturing a finger around the room. "This is a part of the remaining north section of the base – the part that survived the storm."

There wasn't a window in the room, so I couldn't exactly verify that piece of information. I nodded for him to go on.

He closed his eyes, shaking his head, but looked up to my mother. "This…this is really your area of expertise, so maybe you should explain."

My mother nodded and stood up straight. She ran a shaky hand over her face before saying, "This base houses one of the laboratories that works with communicable diseases. It also studies bio-weapons. You and your company were brought in here to secure this location, should the storm cause damage, but as Hurricane Beatrice hit the warm waters of the gulf, it grew in speed and power, beyond anything anyone was expecting. Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater are gone…simply flooded out. McDill Air Force Base is no longer standing – well, it's standing, but it's standing under water. What didn't flood was destroyed with winds and heavy rain, never mind the tornadoes.

"It was the latter that hit here," she continued, starting to pace, but she pointed to the floor. "It took out the power, the phone lines, and the north side of the base…this side." Her eyes filled with tears, and it was all I could do not to go to her, but my dad's hand slipped into hers. "Edward, Emmett…when the building collapsed, it not only shut down the containment for the laboratory's storage, but it shattered several vials – no, not several...most of the vials of an experiment the military was trying to contain. In doing so, a virus was unleashed into the base."

Emmett and I locked gazes for a moment, both of us confused, but I had to ask a question. "Okay, so…we're in some sort of quarantine? And how were you here? I mean, I knew you had clearance to be on base, but…" I waved a hand around me to indicate this specific place, and I didn't mention the fact that I was a little unnerved that I'd still seen no signs of others – nurses, faculty, officers. No one.

My dad sat forward, his face solemn. "You know Major Mathis and I were good friends," he said, and when Emmett and I nodded, he went on. "Well, he allowed us to wait out the storm here on base, said that we could help, should anyone get hurt. We obviously agreed. We had no problem helping out. We weren't far from you…from this section…when the explosion went off. So…we…" He grinned a little, locking gazes with me. "You're our son, so…" He shrugged a shoulder. "Mathis allowed us in here to get to you, to your company."

Mom pointed between Emmett and me, saying, "You two were the tail of your company. You were the last in the group to step foot inside the north section. Up until that point, you'd been patrolling other areas of the base. However, you were the last team brought into contain…" She stopped, her face going even paler than before. "Um, there was no getting to your men. Two very lucky things happened at the same time. The explosion created a barrier between you and the farthest part of the building. It severed you away from the…the worst part of it."

"And the second thing?" Emmett asked, looking between my parents. "I mean, I remember the patrols when power went down. Don't you, Ed?"

"Barely," I groaned, rubbing my face, but I looked to dad to answer Emmett's question.

Dad smiled ruefully. "The second thing was we were able to get to you two, get you out of there and into another wing. We've closed off this portion of the building, focused the generators on our area."

I sat forward, rubbing my face with both hands, only to rest my elbows on my knees. "Okay, um…I get all that. And…well, thank you. Both of you."

"Definitely," Emmett concurred, nodding like a kid.

"But I have a question." I held up a finger. "You…" I pointed to Dad. "You said the storm 'unleashed' something. The collapse of the building wasn't the worst part, was it?"

Both my parents shook their heads slowly.

Mom stepped forward, her hands shaking a little as she ran her fingers through my hair like she'd done my whole life – just like Bella did to Freddie – and my heart literally _ached_ to see my family, to see my sweet, gorgeous wife and my little boy. They had to be worried sick about me, with so much time since our last call. And remembering that call made me nervous; that couldn't have made things any easier for my Bella. Shaking my head to clear it, I focused on my mother.

"The virus that was in storage was set free."

That statement landed heavily in the room, and Emmett and I looked to one another with wide, shocked eyes.

"Um, so…we're sick?" Emmett asked.

"No, you're fine," Dad stated, standing up from the chair and looking to my mother. "We'll have to show them in order for them to understand."

She nodded, turning to the cabinet next to Emmett. She handed him the same thing to put on as my dad had given me.

"Put this on," she said and then turned to me.

"This virus is like nothing I've ever seen, not in…reality. It's been discussed for decades, and there have been theories on it, but the truth is much worse than the Hollywood version."

Emmett snorted as my mother helped him dress due to his encased arm. "What? Aliens have landed?"

"Uh, no." My dad's answer was firm and without the humor Emmett usually brought to a room, despite the tenseness that filled it.

"Aw…and here I was hoping for those egg-laying, acidy-spit drooling things Sigourney Weaver so epically battled," he added, and I chuckled, shaking my head.

"Only _you_ would wish for acidy-spit," I told him, standing up gingerly on my sore leg when he finally had the scrub pants on.

My father led us out of the room, but it was my mother who was spewing medical facts and statistics.

"The growth rate of this virus is unlike anything I've ever seen. Those at the center of the original source – the stored vials – were sick within…seconds. Probably less than a minute. The explosion caused it to go airborne, and what normally would've killed them…well, didn't. The tissues reanimated." She stopped at the end of the hallway, turning to face us. "The problem wasn't that the virus was set free; it was the fact that several of the people working in the lab panicked and got out."

My eyes narrowed. "Got out…as in…_out,_ out?" I jerked a thumb behind me in a useless gesture, but they knew what I meant. "As in off base?"

"Yes," they both said.

"And if my calculations are correct, if what we've heard before communications went down is true, then the virus will spread…everywhere. Very, very quickly."

Again, I noted the silence and the lack of people in the hallway, but I merely waved her on.

Mom turned to open the door in front of her, and we entered another hallway, only the lights were dimmer, flickering. At the end of that corridor was a set of double doors. What normally would be push-to-open doors were barricaded with mop and broom handles. What caused the hair to stand up on the back of my neck was the rather large pile of automatic weapons leaning against the wall off to the side.

I reached for the broom handle, and both my mother and father yelled, "No!"

I froze, glancing back at them, but my dad's hand slipped up the wall to a light switch, flicking it up. The windows in the double doors lit up with more flickering lights, but something told me I didn't want to look. Dad jerked his chin toward the window.

"Oh my fucking hell," Emmett groaned, taking the left window, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open in shock.

I stepped to the right-side window, narrowing my eyes down another hallway. I could see the damage the storm had caused, not to mention the explosion. But it was the movement that truly caught my attention. I could see people, but they didn't look real...or alive. With distorted faces, missing limbs, and destroyed clothing, they all looked like something out of a movie.

"Oh, shit…" I breathed, my forehead thumping softly to the glass in front of me as memories flooded me. "We were sent in, Em. Remember? We were sent to contain this section. We were told to shoot to kill, that it was a breach in security."

He huffed and nodded, turning to look my way. "We were ordered to kill, to contain…but these were…"

"Innocents."

"Well, they aren't human anymore," my mother stated firmly behind us, reaching between us to bang on the door. "They're killing machines."

What happened next made me sick. The ten or twelve…things on the other side of the door suddenly shifted, almost as one – like a flock of birds. They shuffled, walked, dragged themselves toward us, and I took a tentative step backward. The stench that met my nose was putrid and foul. It was death and rot and decomposition. But it was fucking moving.

They hit the door, teeth snapping, with grunts and growls. They smeared a black slime against the window, which I realized was dead blood, old blood. They pushed and shoved each other, practically ripping limbs off rotting bodies, in order to get to the doors…to us.

"Jesus fucking Christ," Emmett breathed, stepping back, finally rounding on my parents. "Night of the living fucking dead!? Are you fucking kidding me?"

I placed a hand on his chest but swallowed back bile and nausea as I recognized names on military uniforms, men I'd known, men who once had my back. When I felt I could speak, I asked, "What are they?"

"People. Or they were," my dad replied, wearing a disgusted expression as the banging and clawing at the door continued uninterrupted behind me. "They're not now. The brain…reanimates, but only the brain stem. There's no more thought, no more emotion, no more…_person_ inside. They only want one thing."

"What's that?" Emmett whispered.

"To feed. On flesh." My mother's voice was barely a whisper.

It was all too much. With my head pounding, and the snarls behind me, my temper unraveled.

"Tell me I'm fucking dreaming!" I snapped, pointing behind me. "Someone tell me this shit isn't real, because…" I pointed to my mother, but she shook her head. "I gotta get outta here. I gotta get home."

I started to walk by them, but my father stopped me, gripping my T-shirt and pulling me into the closest room. He shoved me to the window, tapping it harshly.

"There's no leaving, Edward!" he snapped, tapping the window again. "We're trapped. We shut this section down in order to keep you two safe, and in doing so, we've cornered ourselves. We've been lucky so far because there's a store of MREs on this level, but those won't last forever."

Looking out the window, my mouth gaped at the sight of an entire base filled with those mindless, foul…things. They were shuffling by the fence, wandering in and around the parking lot, and bumping into one another. I saw wrecked cars, crumpled fences, and dead bodies everywhere. Movement at the gate caught my eye, and I locked on to what looked to be one of the K-9s wandering around. It was a Rottweiler, a fairly large one, but it had missed a meal or two. It jumped back, ears flattened to its head as one of those things moved toward it. Several shifted at once, again like a flock of birds. They moved quicker than I was expecting, and the dog didn't stand a chance. I swore I could hear the howl from that third-floor window as they landed on it like a football tackle for a fumbled ball. Fur, limbs, and what I imagined to be intestines were fought over. When one of those beasts looked up, he was covered in blood.

Gagging, I dropped to a knee, crying out when the wound on my leg protested and felt like it was ripped.

"We can't leave," my dad whispered, kneeling beside me and helping me to a sitting position.

When I leaned back against the wall, I gazed up at him. "We can't stay here, either."

I blinked when the power came on in the room. My mother stepped to one of the tables, picking up a stack of papers.

"Edward, Emmett," she called, and we both looked over at her, Emmett barely dragging his gaze away from the window. "This virus has been loose for almost a full month. In that time, reports of an incurable flu have been reported…all over the world."

"How's that possible?" I asked.

"Think of where you are," she urged, pointing toward the window. "This is one of the biggest vacation capitals on the planet. People from everywhere come here – beaches, Disney World, whatever. It's here. A few lab techs got through, not to mention however many they infected along the way. You were sent to contain, but really, you were sent to destroy them. That didn't happen. They infected your company before you two were even removed from the rubble of the explosion – which, by the way, was a result of a truck slamming into the building due to the tornado. Those techs were bitten or scratched, something that starts a chain of events that is unstoppable. Flu-like symptoms – fever, chills, nausea. That's the slow side. It takes hardly any time killing, only to reanimate within minutes of the heart stopping."

My dad stood up. "However, if they bite you? Feed on you? You also…change. There's something in their bite…a venom or bacteria that starts the process. Minutes…seconds, boys. That's all it takes. Do the math, factor in time, distance, and speed. Add in the numbers of human beings in Florida alone."

"Can they be fucking killed?" I asked, my lip twitching in hatred and disgust.

"Oh yeah," Dad stated, walking to the flat-screen TV that my mother had turned on. "This shows an MRI of the change. Watch the brain activity. Watch the electric impulses fade away, only to spark back up a few minutes later."

Emmett helped me to my feet, and we walked closer to the screen. In hues of blues and purples, I could see a human skull, see their movements, even see them take a final breath. According to the clock at the bottom, not even a solid three minutes went by before the brain stem sparked into something orange…but _just_ the brain stem.

"That's the motor functions – walking, blinking, breathing, reaching," Mom explained, tapping the screen.

The patient on the screen looked to be struggling, snapping teeth, and shaking, but all came to a standstill when a bullet went through the forehead and into the brain.

"The brain. That's the key," I stated, looking between them as they nodded. "A sudden injury to the brain, or sever the brain stem…that's how you do it."

They nodded again.

"How fast will this travel?"

Dad sighed but answered, "It's already everywhere, son. The last news report was that even the president had caught it, and that Vice President Hawkins took over. This base, most of the surrounding town is destroyed. Edward…boys, listen to me. They've already shut down air travel. Some places are under martial law. There are power outages everywhere, not to mention phones – both landlines and cell – aren't functioning. If your mother's math is correct, then most of the world will be destroyed within…a…a week or two."

"There's no more military," Mom added. "Not here, anyway."

I closed my eyes, and my Bella came into my head in such a crystal-clear picture that I almost smiled. My son was next, and my only thought was the promise I'd made…to stay safe, to come home. My temper skyrocketed, making my head pound and my hands squeeze into tight fists. My family – my wife and son – would _not_ meet this fucking fate. And now I knew why I'd sent her to the cabin. I'd overheard the words virus, breach, and global terror. I rounded on my parents.

"So…what?" I sneered, tapping the window behind me. "We're just gonna lie the fuck down and let these…these…things win?!" My nostrils flared, but I didn't wait for an answer. "Oh, hell no! We're getting the hell out of here. I'm not letting this shit stop me from getting home, from getting to Bella, Freddie, and Jasper! Our home, Dad! Your grandchild, your nephew – you know, the one you raised like a son?! Imagine Forks…_like this_!"

My mother's tears streamed down her face, but she shook her head.

"I _promised_ Bella," I told them, placing a hand on my chest. "I swore to her that I would find her…that something screwy was going down. I must've seen or heard enough that sent me calling her to tell her to get away from people. I won't let her down. I won't let some freaks of nature stop me from getting to my family."

"Think about what you're saying, Edward," Emmett stated, gripping my shoulder. "We can't just…catch a flight home. We're clear across the motherfucking country."

"And?" I asked, looking at him like he was crazy. "That's different than what we do…how? Em, we dodged terrorists overseas, and they could fucking _think_!" I snapped, tapping the middle of my forehead.

Emmett grinned, shrugging a large shoulder. "True that."

"You can't leave in the condition you're in," my dad stated with a finality, pointing between us. "First, you need to be healed – well…you need to be strong and healthy. Second, the wound will draw them to you like flies to shit." He sighed, shaking his head. "Just from observation, I can see that blood, heartbeats draw them in. At night, they're much more active, almost animalistic. Their sight and hearing are enhanced, and they don't tire. Loud noises get their attention. When they set their sights on a…food source, as you saw, then they can move a bit faster. However, the rain makes all that worse; it magnifies their senses."

Nodding, I glared down at the floor, at my traitorous leg that would hold me back. "We're going home. I promised her, Dad." I whispered the last sentence but met his gaze. "I've never broken a promise to her…or Freddie. I don't intend to start now, even if the world is ending."

"Not until you heal," he argued.

I let out a breath, gripping my hair. "Are there any other survivors on this base? Have you seen anyone?"

"Not in this section," my mother answered.

Turning to Emmett, I said, "We've got an entire military base at our disposal…that means rations, fuel, weapons, ammo, supplies." I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Okay, so what'choo thinkin'?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest as best he could with that cast.

"I'm thinking…we raid the fuck out of this place before we hit the road. We'll take our time, clear section by section in order to get what we need." I turned to my parents. "We stock up, plan, ration, and I can get us out of here," I vowed.

"Nah, bro, _we_ can," Emmett added, gripping my shoulder. "But they're right. We need to be ready to hit the ground runnin'. Which means…no casts and no open wounds," he said, pointing to my leg, which had spots of blood on the scrub pants.

"You ripped your stitches open," my mom sighed. "I'll clean you up."

"Wait," I begged, looking to my dad. "Are you with me on this? I gotta know."

Dad smiled sadly and nodded, placing a hand on my shoulder. "C'mon, let's clean you up, and we'll start planning. I'll tell you what I've scoped out already."

"Hey, Ed…you know, driving across the country is one thing, but…if everywhere looks like this, then it'll take us forty forevers to get back home," Emmett advised, tapping the window overlooking the base.

Emmett wouldn't say what he was really thinking, that home, Forks, Bella, Freddie, all of them could be gone by the time we got there. But I knew my girl. She'd do as I asked, even if the Devil himself tried to stop her, but I also knew who and what surrounded her – Jasper, who was a deadly hunter and born to live off the land, and her father, a seasoned cop, who'd rather die than let anything happen to his family. Her dad had taught her how to handle weapons, how to hunt, and my Bella would lose her mind if something tried to touch Freddie. That thought made me nod his way.

"We're going home," I vowed, but I couldn't think beyond that. I couldn't allow the what ifs to get to me, because the mere idea of losing my wife, my son…it was too much.

"Okay," Emmett agreed, leading us back out into the hallway. "Then tomorrow, we'll start clearing out this floor, then the rest of the building. We'll work our way down and out into other buildings. We'll make a list of what we need, along with an inventory of what we have…or can see out the damn windows. When we leave this place? I wanna be armed to the teeth, Cullen."

Grinning, because I knew him so well, I simply nodded. "Exactly."

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… We're going to stick with Edward and company for the next chapter, which will catch us up in time. Right now, we're just a touch behind Bella getting to Blackwood Lake. Like I said up top, Patrick AFB does exist, and it is on a beach, but it doesn't house bio-weapons…that I've found, anyway. **

**Okay, one question was about the rain… Why does it make them different/more feral? So here's the answer: I read the other day that the reason dogs sort of stop or pause before going out into the rain is that the rain itself enhances smell, sound, and sight for the dog. All of it's magnified, and while that was an interesting thought, I brought it here. I figured these mindless beings would have that advantage. **

**I think that's it. You know now who has survived so far, and who hasn't. For my firefighters and their endless bets…you'll have to wait and see. ;) **

**I finally reached a point in the story – chapter-wise – that I feel comfortable posting again on Thursday. My last week's schedule went a little haywire, but things should be back to normal. So I'll see you again on Thursday. Until then… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N… So according to a bunch of you, I'm popping a lot of zombie fic cherries this time around… SWEET! ;) It is different, and in parts, it's scary, but at the heart of it…it's just Edward trying to get back to his Bella. **

**That being said…we're sticking with Edward and company. I'll see you at the bottom…**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 3**

**EDWARD**

_**Patrick Air Force Base, Florida**_

_Six weeks after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

The shuffles, growls, and snapping of teeth on the other side of the doorway made me sigh wearily. Glancing back at Emmett, I nodded, then kicked open the door to the stairwell. The stench of rotting flesh hit my nose, but I was slowly growing used to it, which was slightly disturbing, considering I'd only been clearing out one section at a time of the medical facility that my parents had locked us in for two weeks.

I was tired of the MREs they'd hoarded. I was tired of headaches from the hit on my head and the pain in my leg, though the latter was getting better. And I was damn sure tired of being holed up like rats in a cage.

Emmett and I had slowly cleared the med unit and labs, all but the top floor and roof. It was the roof we needed most. We needed to get up top and survey our surroundings. There were commissaries and hangars, not to mention housing units that we needed to raid for supplies. We also needed to obtain transportation, fuel, and a way to get the fuck off this base.

Using the Sigs my parents had salvaged, Emmett and I took out six rather nasty fuckers on the way up the last set of stairs. They were once soldiers, lab techs, and maybe even a civilian or two. It was hard to tell, when they were as torn up and decomposed as they were, but I'd been trying my damnedest to stop seeing them as people. The first time Em and I had cleared a section – the same section my parents had shown us that first day – we'd both been pissed off, angry, and disgusted by the end of it all.

Reaching the roof door, I looked back at Emmett. "Ready?"

He snorted and fidgeted with his temp cast – something I knew he was about five seconds from chucking away, even though my mother threatened him with every grumble. "We have to get up there, whether I'm ready or not. So just…go."

I threw open the door, catching a walker by surprise, though it recovered quickly, lunging our way. Emmett's gun popped off two rounds, and it fell to the tar rooftop. There were two more up there, and we disposed of them quickly before I made my way to the southern side of the roof.

Reaching in my backpack, I pulled out binoculars and swept our surroundings. Patrick AFB was a fucking mess. Located along the beach, the whole base was long and spread out almost in a grid-like formation. The damage from Beatrice and the damn virus was everywhere. Slow, shuffling herds of the infected roamed free in the streets, in and out of buildings, and up and down the beach.

There were no planes or choppers. Anything that could have flown prior to the hurricane would've been evacuated to another, safer base. However, my eyes locked on to a parking lot just outside a hangar.

"Bingo," I sang, handing the binoculars to Emmett. "Hangar fourteen," I told him. "Hummers, trucks, tanks."

"Tank would be helpful."

"No shit." I huffed a laugh. "But it wouldn't last us long. We need those fucking Hummers. They'll be easier to drive, to fuel up, and they'll handle any kind of terrain."

"Mmm, true," he agreed, scanning the area again, only to hand the binoculars back. "I'm ready to get the hell out of here, but are you sure about…?"

"Don't ask me that again," I snapped, shoving the binoculars into the bag and shouldering it. "Yes, I'm fucking sure. I'm sure I promised Bella and Freddie I'd come home. Yes, I'm sure I'd walk through hell to get to them. And yeah, I'm pretty fucking sure hell ain't got nothin' on what's out there."

Emmett studied me but nodded. "You'd better fucking hope that Jasper is with them."

"He swore he'd watch over them." My brow furrowed, and I shook my head slowly as I glanced down at the ground to watch a few…things – fuck, they were zombies, like out of an idiotic movie, but saying the word sounded ridiculous – wander slowly around the front door of our building. "Though, when I asked him, I was more worried about car trouble or Bella working too late at Shelly's while I was gone, or…or…Freddie getting hurt at the playground. Not…_this shit_."

"You know, Jazz is kinda badass, so…" Emmett's voice trailed off, and he took a deep breath as he ripped open his cast, scratched like hell, only to strap it back on. "I'll be glad when I can take this thing off permanently. How's your leg?"

"Better," I said, yanking up my scrub pants. The stitches were out, and the muscle was slowly strengthening, though I didn't give it much choice. There was shit that needed to be done.

"Carlisle and Esme are stalling us," he stated wisely, nodding when I did. "They keep drawing my blood…yours too, I noticed."

I snorted but showed him the gauze and tape from my mother's last draw. "While the generators are still working, she wants to find a cure."

"Oh Lord…" Emmett groaned, shaking his head, but he grinned. "Only your mom, man."

"My dad says there's not one, but he's been studying the file the science bastards had on the virus," I explained. "She has maybe ten more days to two weeks before I think we're safe to pull out of here. With your arm and my leg, we're a liability, not to mention I want to be fully stocked when we go."

"You realize that once we leave here, once supplies run out on the road, we'll be fucked." He pointed toward the north. "Look that way. Look at the beach hotels and the stores and shit. Edward, this virus is everywhere. And all that's on the TV and radio are warnings. Martial law, emergency evacuations, and some bitch on the news on repeat. It's everywhere. You know what that means? It means that this virus has spread to every nook and cranny. It means there are survivors willing to kill anything that moves. It means those whackos who planned for the zombie apocalypse were right and they're living the _country-boy-can-survive_ dream. This will be dangerous and stupid, and we'll run into more trouble along the way."

"We can't stay here," I argued. "You know that much, too. There isn't enough food, and eventually, we'll either run out of ammo, or those bastards at the front door will smell us. Hell, we may only have a few days left on the generators."

Emmett took a deep breath and let it out. "No, dude, I get that. And you're right. If anything, heading home is the better plan, simply because the mountains of Washington will be easier to hunker down."

I nodded, rubbing my face. I wanted a shower and a shave, not giving a shit that the water was cold. I was tired and my head was achy, not to mention I was covered in foul-smelling blood from where I'd had to get way too up close and personal with a guy that popped out of a fucking supply closet. Luckily I'd had a knife in my hand. His head went one way while his twisted hands had stayed gripping my shirt until he finally fell to the floor.

"Okay," Emmett finally said in acquiescence. He nodded one time when I looked his way. Pointing toward the hangars, he said, "I think two Hummers. We'll snag those first, along with however many cans of gas we can salvage. Once we're mobile, we can start tracking down food, supplies, more medical shit, and…fucking hell, _clothes_. These scrubs aren't cuttin' it."

"Yeah, definitely." I turned to start back toward the roof door. "We'll head out first thing in the morning. Once the sun's up. We'll bring Dad with us in order to load up quicker."

Emmett snorted. "Guess we're officially retired from the United States Army, huh?"

Grinning, I shot him a glance over my shoulder. "Not exactly how I planned it," I mumbled, opening the roof door. "This was supposed to be my last leg, you know? Bella was all excited…" My voice trailed off at the mention of her name, and I broke out into a cold sweat. "Jesus, Em…what do I do if she's…"

Emmett's heavy hand landed on my shoulder, turning me to face him. His face was fierce where it usually carried a hint of humor. "Don't. You want to get home. We'll get there, but if you panic now, then it'll be all for nothin'. You have to treat this like you did when we were overseas, man. Each step, each inch we move forward, will be to get back to her. And back then, you'd just found her. Remember?"

Smiling at the memory, I nodded. "Best fight I've ever gotten into," I said with a laugh.

"Oh, but _think_, Ed!" He beamed dramatically, batting his eyes. "Maybe Black's one of those walking nightmares, and even better, maybe Shortcake shot his ass! Oh, to have YouTube back again."

My head fell back with my laugh as we took the stairs back to our floor. I couldn't help it. I wasn't sure there was a soul in Forks who actually liked Jacob Black, except for Jacob himself. Maybe some of the women he still messed with, but not any of my family or friends, and for sure not me. Bella's dad, Charlie, was still fishing buddies with Jacob's dad, Billy. The old man was pretty decent, but his son had walked a fine line with me for a very, very long time.

We made it back downstairs without running into any more infected. We briefed my parents on what the plan was, and I made my way into the staff lounge to shower and change clothes. As night started to settle around us, my heart started to hurt. When I was moving, planning, clearing out those monsters, I was fine, but it was when I was alone or quiet that I thought of my Bella, my son.

Emmett's joke about Black was funny, but I honestly owed that cheating bastard my life. It was how I'd met Bella. I couldn't help but smile as I stepped under the weak spray of the shower.

**~oOo~**

_**Forks, WA**_

_**Ten years prior…**_

"_C'mon, Ed," Jasper said as he parked the car at one of the few bars in my small-ass hometown. "We'll grab a beer before we head back to the house. Text Emmett to meet us here."_

"_Yeah, okay," I agreed, just happy to see my cousin, who had come to live with us when I was just a kid._

_He was more like my older brother, having stayed with us through most of his teen years…and mine. He'd then gone off to college right around my junior year. He'd hated it, but he'd tried, if only for my parents. He'd come home just after I'd joined the Army._

_He seemed overly happy, enthusiastic, about being at the bar, but when he looked at me, I could see the truth. It was the same thing with the rest of my family.__What no one would say while they looked at me with a frightened look in their eyes is that they were scared shitless about my new orders. _

_Afghanistan._

_Emmett and I shipped out in a week for a tour overseas. We'd been given leave to get our families and lives in order. Emmett and I had met in basic and had been friends ever since we realized we were from the same area of Washington. He was from Port Angeles, not far from my tiny town of Forks. He wasn't all that close with his family, so I'd brought him home with me. We'd driven over from Fort Warner. My parents and Jasper had welcomed him with open arms. As far as they were concerned, he was simply a new member of the family._

_The jukebox was pumping some slow, sappy country song when we stepped inside the bar. Jasper waved to the old woman pouring beers, and we settled into a booth along the side wall. We weren't the only ones in there. There were a few guys watching a baseball game on the TV over the bar. Three women chattered in the booth opposite us, and two guys about our age had the table in the center._

_Just as I was expecting Mrs. Cope to come to us, a young girl walked in from the back room. She didn't look old enough to drink, much less serve alcohol. She was a petite thing, her dark-brown hair swept up into a long ponytail that swished back and forth as she checked on all the tables before making her way to us. A smirk curled up the corner of her mouth when she saw my cousin._

"_Jasper, the usual?"_

"_You know it, Bella," he drawled, giving her a wink._

_It was then that I recognized her. "Bella? Bella Swan? The chief's daughter?"_

_She laughed, and it was a soft, sexy sound. "That's me, Edward Cullen."_

_I couldn't stop my eyes from truly taking her in. The last time I'd seen her, I'd been a senior at Forks High. She'd been a couple of years behind me. She'd been new, and the poor thing had been the center of gossip when she'd come to live with Charlie. If I remembered correctly, her mother had been in a fatal car accident. She'd been thinner, not quite skinny, but she'd filled out…just fine. I remembered seeing her in the library occasionally, hiding from the whispers._

_Jeans hugged her hips, and the Shelly's Bar T-shirt she was wearing was tied in a knot at her hip._

"_You know each other?" Jasper asked with a laugh._

"_No." Bella chuckled. "Edward was two years ahead of me at FHS." She turned back to me with a soft smile. "What can I get you?"_

"_Um…whatever's on tap, please."_

"_Got it," she said, walking away, and my eyes drank in a sweet ass with jeans hugging it beautifully._

_Jasper's laugh was practically shaking the damn table. "Careful with that one; Chief Swan is _mighty_ protective of his little girl." He smacked my shoulder before sliding out of the booth. "I'm gonna hit the head and then go outside to call Maria back.__She's pissed I didn't come over."_

"'_Kay," I answered, my eyes locked on Bella. When she set the beer down in front of me, I thanked her. "So…what are you doing?" I asked, rolling my eyes at the stupidity of the question. "Besides…" I waved a hand around the bar._

_She laughed again. "College. In Port Angeles." She nodded and smiled. "Mrs. Cope is nice enough to work with my class schedule, and when it's slow, she lets me study in this very booth." She tapped the tabletop. "She's also kind enough to overlook the fact that I won't be twenty-one until September, but I help her with her bookkeeping, so she ignores my age."_

_There was something bold and confident about her now. Her eyes were brown, almost black in the low lights of the room. I could tell she had minimal makeup on, yet her skin and pink cheeks were beautiful, perfect. Suddenly, I wanted to know everything about her, but one question popped out of my mouth without thinking._

"_You know who I am?" I asked, internally punching myself in the face for sounding like I'd never talked to a girl in my fucking life. _

_She hummed and nodded. "Ah, yes. You were hard to miss in school – football star, track star, not to mention the crush of every girl I knew."_

_I groaned, rolling my eyes and waving that shit away. The sports, I understood. The crushes, not so much._

_She smiled again but patted my shoulder. "You should know… They moved on. Well, they tried to, anyway," she sighed dramatically, and her teasing was adorable._

"_Good," I grunted, smiling at her laughter. "I remember you." I nodded, taking a sip of my beer. When she looked shocked, I said, "I had a girlfriend, Bella. I wasn't blind."_

_She smirked. "How is Kate?"_

"_Oh, good, I guess. Last I heard, she was seeing someone at college. Um, UW." I shrugged a shoulder. "We broke up when I joined the Army."_

"_I heard about that. Your cousin, he's very proud."_

_Grinning, I nodded._

"_He's also worried. You're shipping out?"_

_I nodded again. "Yeah, a week."_

_One of the boys behind her called her name, and she nodded their way, but a dark look changed her features entirely._

"_Well, it was nice seeing you again, Edward. I'll come back to refill that in a few." She started to step away, but she stopped, giving me an appraising look that was all kinds of sexy. "And…be safe over there, okay?"_

_She got a little busier when a few more people stepped in, though I caught her gaze once or twice. Jasper came back but ended up in a text-fight with his latest girlfriend. Maria was a pain in the ass, but their on-again, off-again relationship was their business and made me crazy just hearing about it._

_Emmett texted me back when he was leaving his parents' place, saying he'd meet us at the bar. Jasper continued to grumble about Maria, but my eyes were on the brunette working the room with a smile and grace she hadn't had when we were in school._

_She stopped by to trade full mugs for our empties but was too busy to chat, though I was beginning to think the boys at the table were doing that shit on purpose. They'd stop her, ask her things I couldn't hear, and she'd merely shake her head no, wearing a hard expression._

_The place cleared out a little – the women in the other booth had gone, along with the men at the bar – leaving Jasper, the guys at the table, and me._

"_Crazy bitch," Jasper muttered as he glared at his phone._

_I snorted. "Just go. Emmett should be here by closing. He's got my truck, so I'll ride home with him."_

"_You sure?"_

"_Yeah, yeah." I waved him on but looked up when someone new walked into the bar._

_The bastard was huge – probably six foot five or six. He looked like he'd already had a few drinks, but he was greeted by the boys at the table._

"_Jake!"_

_If Bella's face was hardened with the boys, then it was pure hellfire when she caught sight of this Jake. Her eyes narrowed, her hands shook, and her mouth thinned into a tight line. She dodged his reach for her, rolling her eyes as she stepped back to our table._

"_Another round?" she asked, and gone was the smiling girl. I desperately wanted her back._

"_Um, Bella?" Jasper started, his gaze glancing from the table to her. "You all right, darlin'?"_

_She sighed, forcing herself to relax and then smile. "I'm…fine. I'm ready for closing time. I've got a test this week and…"_

"_Yo, Bells. You gonna get me a beer, or what?"_

_I huffed a humorless laugh, glancing around her to see the guy they'd called Jake glaring my way. "Buddy, she'll get to you when she's damn well ready."_

_Bella smiled my way, setting a hand on my shoulder. "It's fine, Edward. Really." She turned to face the table. "The answer to that question would be no, Jacob. You're not old enough, though it appears that someone gave you some anyway. Perhaps you should go back to them. I'm sure I know who it was." The last part was mumbled, but we all heard her._

_Jacob actually had the nerve to look ashamed, and it didn't take me long to put the puzzle together._

"_Boyfriend?" I asked softly, and her sad eyes locked to mine._

"_Ex."_

"_He cheated."_

_She nodded, her nose wrinkling. "Among other things. We've been broken up for a while now…ever since I found out."_

_My lip curled in hatred, not because Jacob was a fucking loser but because she looked so damn betrayed. I glanced over to Jasper, who was wearing a calm yet focused expression on his face as Jacob stood up from his chair, babbling about apologies and promises and shit Bella wasn't paying a bit of attention to._

_It was Bella's flinch that had me reaching out to touch her. Tilting her face gently with my fingers underneath her chin, I asked, "Did he hurt you?"_

_She shook her head. "Not the way you're thinking. I just… The thought of him touching me…"_

_Smiling her way, I nodded. "Understood. Then you might want to move to your right in about three seconds." I raised an eyebrow at her, standing the exact moment she stepped to the side, which brought me face to face with the highly inebriated ex-boyfriend. I felt more than saw Jasper stand up at the same time. And suddenly, everyone in the bar was on their feet._

_I specifically placed myself between Jacob and Bella, smiling ruefully up at him. I didn't give a fuck how big he was._

"_Didn't you hear me, Bells?!" he slurred, trying to step around me, but I was way more aware than he was. "I said, what you saw was bullshit. It wasn't what you thought. Can't we talk? Just talk."_

"_Go home, Jake," Bella said wearily as she stepped up beside me. "There's nothing to talk about." Turning to me, she placed a hand on my shoulder. "Sit, Edward… You, too, Jasper. I'll bring another round."_

"_Thanks," I said, not taking my eyes off her, but I knew he'd reach for her the second she walked by, and he did._

"_Don't touch me, Jake. I'm serious," she sneered, rounding on him._

"_I just want to talk about this, Bella."_

"_There's nothing to talk about. Get out."_

_When he didn't let go, I moved before Jasper could, and my hand landed in the middle of Jacob's chest, giving him an urging push._

"_Let her go," I warned him._

"_You wanna quit eye-fucking my girl?" he asked, turning my way, but he still hadn't let go of her arm. "This is between us. Mind your business."_

"_You realize who her dad is, right?" Jasper drawled, standing next to me. "I mean, you can't be that stupid…or drunk. Let her go."_

_That caught the attention of his friends, and one or two shifted nervously on their feet. Jacob's hand slowly released Bella's arm, and Jasper urged her to go behind the bar._

"_Go home, sleep this shit off, and you'll realize just how badly you fucked up," I told him with a smile, glancing her way, only to meet his gaze. "'Cause you _really_ fucked up," I said with a laugh._

_I knew he would swing. It was in his posture, in his emotions that were written all over his face, and in the temper he had no control over. When he did, I ducked, pushing him a little._

"_This wouldn't be a fair fight, buddy," I told him, shaking my head. "You're way too drunk…"_

"_And he's way too trained," Jasper tacked on with a laugh, only to groan when the bastard came my way again. "Oh, Ed…he _is_ that stupid."_

_Jacob swung at me again, a sloppy roundhouse punch that wouldn't have done much damage, but I avoided it, finally sweeping my leg beneath his, causing him to fall to his ass. When he scrambled up, he launched everything he had my way. It was over before it truly began. I punched his stomach, just to bring him up short and then put his ass back on the floor, only this time, I dropped a knee to his chest._

"_You want a fight? I can give you one," I threatened low in his face. "But I fucking promise you, your ass will still end up on this floor. Only bloody and broken. Get out, and leave her alone. Respect that, or her father will find out exactly what you did here. I'm sure Mrs. Cope is about five seconds from picking up the phone."_

"_Ah, ah, ah, boys," Jasper warned in a sing-song manner. "Not your rodeo. Keep it fair."_

_When I glanced up to see Jasper holding back Jacob's friends, Jacob took advantage, swinging one more time. He caught me in the mouth, cutting my lip a little._

_I was just about to beat the ever-loving piss out of him when a baseball bat appeared. I followed it up to see Bella holding it._

"_Jacob Black, if you don't get up and out of here, not only will I use this, but I'll call my dad."_

_Large hands gripped my shoulders, yanking me up off the guy. Turning, I saw Emmett standing there._

"_You'd have killed him, bro," he warned, shaking his head._

_Nodding, I sat down hard in the booth, swiping at my lip and frowning at the blood on my hand. I heard Jasper and Emmett helping the boys out of the bar, saying something about paying their tab, but my vision was cut off with Bella standing in front of me._

"_Be still," she ordered softly, holding a towel with ice in it to my lip. "I don't think you need stitches, but…"_

_I shook my head, my eyes raking up her body to meet her dark eyes._

"_You didn't have to do that, you know," she chided, shaking her head. "He would've gotten tired of me ignoring him and left."_

"_You didn't want him touching you. He was too drunk to see reason."_

_She smiled, checking my lip and placing the ice back on. "You always rescue waitresses in bars?"_

_I laughed, shaking my head. "Only ones I want to get to know better."_

"_Ah, gotcha. So how'd this plan of yours work out?"_

"_I don't know. You tell me. Can I see you again before I leave?" I asked her, ignoring Emmett and Jasper coming back in the door._

_She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that."_

"_Damn, you are so pretty," I said, noting that we were eye to eye as she stood between my legs. "And short."_

"_Hey!" She laughed, smacking playfully at me._

"_Hey, Bella," Mrs. Cope called her, a smile on her face. "Let's blow this popsicle stand."_

"_Closing time," Bella told me, her eyes a touch sad._

"_I'll wait. You know, walk you to your car."_

"'_Kay."_

_Jasper and Emmett waited out in the parking lot as I walked the women out the bar. Bella pointed to her car, and I followed her to it._

_Shaking my head, I sighed. I had thought joining the Army, getting out of this town would help me find myself. Turned out, it wasn't _me _I was looking for, and she'd been here all along._

"_What's wrong?" she asked._

_I laughed a little. "I'm glad I met you, but…"_

_Bella frowned. "But now you're leaving."_

"_Into each life some rain must fall," I quoted the poem my dad loved so much, shrugging a shoulder. "I'll be back. But I'd still like to see you before I go."_

_Bella reached into her pocket and placed a folded piece of paper in my hand. "It's my e-mail and phone…my address. Call me." She had to stand up on her toes to kiss my cheek, and I chuckled._

"_Sure thing, Shortcake."_

"_Shut up!" She laughed, but I could tell she liked the teasing when her cheeks tinged pink. "And…thank you, Edward."_

_Nodding, I backed away from her car so she could pull out._

_When I joined Jasper and Emmett, both were wearing shit-eating grins._

"_Well, Ed?" Emmett asked me. "Was the fight worth it?"_

_Holding up her note, I laughed. "Hell, yes."_

**~oOo~**

_**Patrick Air Force Base, FL**_

I stepped out of the shower…and out of that memory…missing Bella more than I could probably articulate. However, if anything made me more determined to get back to her, it was that memory alone.

Smiling to myself, I remembered that week in Forks. I'd hung out with my parents and Jasper, usually along with Emmett, but it was the few times I got to see Bella that changed everything. We'd had so much in common, and my attraction to her had grown by leaps and bounds. Our last night together, I'd never wanted to kiss a girl so badly in my damn life. And I did, but with that amazing, deep kiss had come a sense of guilt.

I'd been leaving, heading into a warzone, and despite my confidence, there was the chance I wouldn't come home. And it had been Bella to set everything about us into motion. As we'd swayed to music around closing time at Shelly's Bar, I'd explained how I couldn't promise her anything, but I'd wanted to, that it wasn't fair to keep her waiting.

Her stunning face had lit up with a soft but sad smile as she'd cupped my jaw. She'd merely said, "Why don't you let me worry about what's fair to me? Hmm? You concentrate on staying safe over there, and I'll be here when you get back."

I'd kissed her stupid, kissed her until I had to go, until she had to close up. Leaving her that first time was the hardest thing I'd ever done. I'd more than wanted to stay, to learn everything about her, and to make love to her in every way imaginable, but those long seven and a half months had made us stronger, closer, better. We'd learned everything about each other through the written word, sporadic phone calls, and amazing care packages.

I'd also learned that she'd been one of the many crushing girls my senior year that she'd teased me about.

Snorting into a chuckle as I pulled on fresh clothes, I shook my head. God, I loved her. I'd loved her before I even left Forks for Afghanistan, I was pretty damn sure. I'd busted my ass those seven months to get back to her. I'd stayed safe, careful, calling her when I could. At that very moment, I'd have killed to hear her voice. That, more than anything, made my decision to drive across this now fucked-up country to get to her. I was scared about what was out there, but I was absolutely fucking terrified about what could happen to her or Freddie…or both. Failure to make it to Blackwood Lake was _not_ a fucking option.

**~oOo~**

_Seven weeks after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

"Aw, fuck! Go, go, go!" I yelled, hauling ass from the Hummer to the last building – housing – we needed to check. We'd started early that morning clearing out the commissary, the weapons storage, and several hangars of all the camping equipment and supplies we could load up into two very large military-style Hummers. Luckily, there were only four floors of this last building.

Emmett, Dad, and I burst through the front doors of the building, Emmett slamming it behind us to shut out the herd that had seen us pull up. Dad and I immediately took out four more just inside the lobby.

"Fuck me!" Emmett panted, leaning against the door as the bastards pounded on the other side. "You know what they remind me of?" he grumbled as Dad and I pushed and shoved a huge sofa to barricade the doors. "Tweakers. You know, those people they filmed in order to sway you from drugs back in high school. They'd be all twitchy and shit, picking at their face. They'd lost all sense of reason, they looked like hell, and their teeth were rotting out of their damn head. Only instead of craving crack or meth or whatever, these assholes are craving…_brains_." He leaned on the last word like a fucking B-rated movie.

I locked gazes with my dad, who looked like he wanted to laugh, but I could tell we were both thinking the same thing. When I grinned, my dad laughed softly.

"Then you should be immune, Em. Go ahead and step outside. Let's test that theory," I taunted him, laughing harder when he simply held up both middle fingers at me before pushing off the door.

We started down the first hallway, my dad still laughing at us. Supplies were stacked in the lobby as we cleared apartment after apartment. We'd decided we'd leave Patrick AFB in a week, so we'd been stockpiling everything we could think of. My mother continued to work on a cure that didn't seem possible.

"Zeke," Emmett suddenly boomed, wearing a shit-eating grin. "Zombie-tweakers. Zeke. Get it? That's what we should call 'em."

"Fantastic. They have a name," I muttered wryly, rolling my eyes as I motioned for them to start checking each apartment.

The first few floors scored us some bottled water and canned goods, not to mention about six…zekes that had converged on us.

It was the last floor that we had the most trouble. Several children had been turned and had somehow wandered up to the top floor. Killing them was sickening yet necessary. They were faster, if not more feral than their adult counterparts.

I was about to enter the last apartment, and I pressed an ear to the door. Growls, footsteps, and shuffling met my ear, but it sounded different. Pulling back, I held up a finger, and Dad and Emmett braced for the door to be kicked in.

I kicked hard, sending the door swinging open. What flew at me was not a zeke, though I panicked all the same. Instead of snarls, rotten flesh, and snapping teeth, I was suddenly knocked to my ass by a large black mass of fur and tongue and whimpers.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Emmett said through his uncontrollable laughter. "Easy there, big guy… Oh, 'scuse me, _ma'am_."

I sagged in relief at the sight of the big dog, my face being continuously licked over and over. She was enormous, really, though a touch thin. And I grabbed her big face in both hands in order to get a good look at her. She was a black-and-tan Rottweiler, a lot like the one I'd seen destroyed that first day. She was wriggling and panting, wagging the nub of her tail so hard, her entire body was in constant movement. She had a collar, and I turned it in my hand. She was military K-9, though I had no clue how she'd gotten up there.

"Well, Sasha," I sighed, sitting up and shaking my head. "Thanks for scaring the piss outta me."

My dad peered into the apartment that reeked of piss and shit. The poor thing had been trapped inside for who knew how long. There was torn-up furniture, bedding, and clothes everywhere; even the doors and carpet had been destroyed by claws and teeth. There were the remnants of what looked like a couple of bags of dog food, but it was almost gone, along with a bunch of stuff from the cabinets – cereal, pasta, coffee creamer.

"Here, Sasha," Emmett crooned, holding out a bottle of water, which she drank from greedily.

"Fuck, she'd have starved," I sighed, scratching her ear.

"We'll have to take her with us," Emmett stated, and as much as I knew she could be trouble, I couldn't help but feel for her, especially with the memory of the last Rottweiler I'd seen.

"Whatever. She'll have to learn to move with us, Em," I warned him, though it was halfhearted at best. She was the first sight of something living, something truly _alive_, that we'd seen in all our searching, which kind of made her a sight for sore eyes.

"All right, boys," my dad said, unable to not scratch Sasha's ears. "We need to load up what we've found here and get back to the med center."

"What about the zekes at the front door?" Emmett asked as we made our way downstairs.

"I'll take them out from the second floor window. You two, be at the ready."

Sasha followed Emmett and my dad, and I entered the second floor, breaking the window facing out over the front door. The noise alone caught their attention, but they couldn't do shit about it.

There were about ten zekes milling around the Hummer and a handful more wandering aimlessly across the street. Knowing my gunshots would bring them anyway, I took out the ones across the street first, finally taking out the ones below me.

"Clear!" I yelled down to the street, and the front doors burst open.

I watched them for a few seconds, finally bolting down the stairs to help them finish loading up. Sasha seemed to pace around the Hummer, not exactly in the way, but her ears were perked up and her face was fierce. We were just about finished when she crouched low, her teeth bared and a growl rumbling through her. Her eyes were locked on the corner of the building. She stalked low, and we called her back, but it was the herd that came rumbling around the corner that threw us all into overdrive.

I was just about to abandon the last few loads, but Sasha did something none of us could've prepared for: she lunged at the herd. Staying low, fast, and just out of reach, she snapped her teeth at the zekes, causing their attention to focus on her and not us. She ran circles around them, mixing them up, confusing them, but she'd given us the time to finish loading.

"Sasha! Let's go!" I called her, but she was too busy. I jumped into the passenger side, leaving my door open. "Swing around and pick her up," I told Emmett once he'd started the truck.

I popped off several rounds, as did my dad, as Emmett squealed around the corner. I took two zekes out that were closest to Sasha, calling her name again.

She gave one last snarling bark, as if to say, "Fuck you," before hightailing it through my door, plopping herself happily on my lap, despite the fact that she was too big.

"Where in the hell did she learn that?" Emmett asked with a laugh, patting her side.

"She was herding them." Dad chuckled, shaking his head and praising her. However, his smile fell quickly. "Boys, it's time. There's nothing left here. We'll head out in two days."

"What about Mom?" I asked.

His nose wrinkled as he sighed wearily. "She's aware. She'll be bringing that research with her, but she's ready."

I let out a breath of relief. I was ready to get the fuck out of Florida and make some sort of progress heading west. Too much time had passed already away from Bella and Freddie, but my mother had been set on her work, at least until we'd stocked up.

Nodding, I looked back at him gratefully. "Two days."

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… Okay, so time-wise, we're just about caught up to when Bella left for Blackwood Lake. And now you know how Edward and Bella met – feel free to hate on Jake as much as you wish – and how Sasha came into the picture. :) There will be more flashbacks of those two, simply because I needed happy inside all this struggle. **

**I need to thank Mina Rivera for the most gorgeous banner for **_**Rain Must Fall**_**. It's now the book cover on FFN, but you can see it on my FB and Twitter, along with a few pic teasers that I plan on posting every now and then.**

**Bella and Freddie will be back with us this coming Sunday, so until then… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N… Apparently, there's now a TEAM SASHA fan club. I honestly don't know who claimed it first, but you guys made me LOL. So thank you for that…**

**One thing… You guys can keep track of progress with the timestamp I post. Just remember…the prologue was at **_**"Five months and ten days since Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…"**_** And I do make time jumps, so for those worried about how far apart Edward and Bella are, just know that I don't note every mile/minute. **

**Last thing, and I'll turn things over to Bella… I'm glad you guys liked the flashback, because there will be more. I adore these two and their relationship. It explains how…GOOD they are together… ;) **

**Off you go…**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 4**

**BELLA**

_**Blackwood Lake, Washington**_

_Two and a half months since Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

Crouching low in the forest, I followed Jasper's lead. He put a finger to his lips to keep me quiet, but I knew better than to 'd been tracking for days.

The snap of a twig caused both of us to glance up. Jasper's grin was relief and comical all at the same time. We'd been hunting this deer all damn day. However, unlike when I was younger, when my dad and Billy had taught me how to hunt when I'd visit Forks growing up, hunting now was dangerous. We weren't the only predator in the woods, and new rules applied when we left the campground. There was no staying out past dark, no one went alone, and everyone stayed inside on rainy days.

Today was clear, the weather in our favor, and hopefully, we'd be bringing back food that would last us several days.

Jasper raised his crossbow, aiming slowly, carefully. The thump of its release was barely audible, but the collapse of the deer was heavy as the arrow hit its mark perfectly.

"C'mon, we need to move quickly," Jasper said, grabbing my hand. He whistled lightly, but from across the way, Seth stepped out of his own hiding space. "We need to dress it here, but we need to do it fast, or the scent of blood will bring us trouble."

Seth and Jasper worked together to string up the deer, skin it, and finally start wrapping up meat. This had never been my thing – hunting…even though I'd been taught as a kid. I wasn't a fan of killing anything, but life was different now. It was a matter of survival, of being able to feed my son and the rest of us back at camp.

So far, everyone had learned to pitch in. We'd been at Blackwood Lake for going on three weeks. In that time, there'd been several pack attacks – mainly in the rain or at night – and we'd all worked together just fine. Even Jacob, despite his feelings for Jasper, had been excellent on setting up a few lookout points on the edge of camp, not to mention providing several days of fish for dinner. He and Billy had taught Freddie and Angela's little girl, Janie, how to fish from shore. As long as they stayed in sight at all times, we were okay with that.

Seth and Jasper worked quickly, dividing the load between them as I kept watch around them. It was dangerous releasing the scent of blood into the woods, even more the noise they were making, but we had no choice.

Another snap of a twig caused the hairs to stand up on the back of my neck, and I spun to see what I'd been hoping to avoid: walkers. It was a small pack, but that didn't matter because they were blocking our trail back to camp.

"Jasper, Seth…" I called softly, raising the rifle. "Company," I warned, scanning for a number. "I see six."

"Easy, Bells," Jasper soothed, abandoning the deer for his crossbow. He raised, aimed, and took out the closest one, but it sent the others into a frenzy. "Keep your back to a tree. Always, Bella. Got me?"

Nodding, I raised my gun and fired, taking down what looked like it used to be a teenage boy. If I had to guess, probably Seth's age, but I tried not to think of them as people anymore. We cleared the area of all but one, and he was mine to kill. However, his military clothes, his dog tags, and his dark hair were a little too close to home for me. The hesitation caused the walker to lunge for me, but I pulled the trigger. I wasn't sure who dropped to the ground quicker, him or me, but I gagged, losing everything I'd eaten that day. Cold sweat broke out across my brow as reality tried so fucking hard to crash down over me.

"Oh, Jesus," Jasper whispered, wrapping an arm around me. "Aw, hell, Bella…"

He kissed the top of my head, rocking me as I lost it for just a moment. I was glad Freddie wasn't around to see it.

"Fuck, darlin'. It's not him, it's not him, it's not him." The chant was soothing, and I wondered for a moment if he was saying it for both of us, because God, we missed Edward. "I promise. Look at him, Bella."

Steeling myself, I did as he told me, and I saw the walker for who he truly was. He was older than Edward, certainly not as tall, and he looked nothing like my husband in the face. I tried to overlook the camo, the rotten, decomposed flesh, and the stench of him, but the glint of dog tags caught my eye, showing me a name.

_Logan, Andrew_

Sagging a little, I breathed a heavy sob, taking the bottle of water Jasper offered. "For a second…"

"I know. I get it."

I met Jasper's gaze, and he smiled sadly, as if he knew what I was about to say. "I need to see Freddie. Like now."

He chuckled. "Then let's get back, yeah?"

"We should hurry back anyway," Seth added. He shifted on his feet as he lifted the bags of wrapped meat. He handed one to Jasper to carry. "Looks like they came from camp."

It took about an hour or so before we stepped into the clearing. The sun would set soon, but from what I could tell, everyone was fine.

Carol North and Sue Clearwater were extremely pleased with the meat that we handed them, but it was the little boy on the edge of the lake who I couldn't get to quickly enough. He was a miniature Edward from this distance – in stature, head-tilt, and even the way he used his hands. I didn't want to scare him, so I took a seat beside him, reaching over to run my fingers through his hair.

"Hi, Mom," he sang, handing me his fishing pole. He walked to the water, picking up a string that held about five fish. "Look!"

"Look at you!" I praised him, holding out my arms. "You're becoming quite the fisherman! Grandpa Charlie would be proud!"

He giggled, letting me pull him to my lap. "Ya think?"

"Oh, I know so," I said with a nod and a kiss to his head.

"I still need to learn how to hunt."

This argument was never going to die, especially when everyone in camp was carrying a weapon. Freddie was too much like his father to cower away. I could see it plain as day as I looked at my son.

Sighing heavily, I raked my fingers through his hair again. "I'll make you a deal, Freddie," I told him, handing the pole back.

He took it tentatively but nodded, looking up at me. "What deal?"

"The deal is this… Jasper has agreed to teach you, but you'll start small – a hunting rifle, a .22. Not a handgun or shotgun, but a rifle. We think it'll be easier to deal with. _But_…only if you take a few hours every day with Mr. North. You, Janie, and Seth still need school, despite all that's going on. He was a history teacher before he retired, so he's agreed to tutor you guys."

"Aw, _Mom_," he groaned, sounding so much like his dad that tears welled up in my eyes, but I couldn't help but chuckle at the same time.

Kissing his temple, I said, "That's the deal, kiddo. Take it or leave it."

He scowled, gazing down at the ground for a moment, but finally nodded. "Okay, fine. So…when?" he asked excitedly.

Grinning, I ruffled his hair. "Soon. It won't be tonight, but soon. I'll let you know, okay?"

"Okay," he sighed, frowning as he reeled the pole in to check his bait. The worm had definitely seen better days, so he removed it, tossing it into the lake. He set the pole aside, turning to face me. "I wish Dad was here. He'd teach me, not Jasper."

Smiling sadly, I nodded. "Me, too, baby. And you're probably right."

He studied my face. "It makes you sad to talk about him. Do you think…?"

I kissed him roughly before he could finish that question. "I miss your dad like crazy, Freddie." I swallowed thickly, fighting my panic, my sadness, and my fears. "It makes me sad to talk about him, simply because…he was very far away when things got bad. I don't like to think of him as hurt…or worse. I don't like to think about him worrying about you and me, because you know he'd be losing his mind about us, right?"

Freddie grinned. "Yeah, he'd be like…pulling on his hair and stuff." He mimicked his dad's habit to a T, and even his brow wrinkled like Edward's.

"Exactly. He may not have any hair by now," I said with a laugh, but it died quickly. "I know your dad is strong and smart and brave. I know that your grandparents and Uncle Emmett are, too. I can only _hope_, Freddie. That's all I've got left. Hope. Faith that your dad is fighting to get to us. When I met him, he was silly and sweet, and he made promises he should've never made, but he kept them. He fought for what was right. He always has. As much as I tease your dad for being stubborn, I know he's a fighter. To think of him any other way…hurts."

I paused for a second, assessing my son, but I cupped his face. "You're so much like him. You want to help and take care of me, 'cause believe me, I know he told you to watch over me."

Freddie laughed at my raised eyebrow but nodded. "Yeah. He said…he said…to stick close to you, that you were going to be sad while he was gone. He said I was to hug on you a lot so that you'd forget to be sad."

"Okay, well, you're doing an amazing job, buddy," I praised him.

"I want to do more."

"Then give me a hug, pal, 'cause I need it."

Freddie smiled, wrapping his arms around my neck, and I wound mine all the way around his skinny frame. I buried my nose into the space between his shoulder and neck, inhaling deeply. He was sweaty and smelled of dirt and fish, but he was comfort incarnate. He was a living, breathing, adorable reminder of the person we were both missing terribly.

I blew raspberry kisses to his neck before letting him go, and his laugh was light and easy. "C'mon, Freddie, let's get your fish to Sue. Okay? She'll be really happy."

Freddie looked proud as he pulled in his catch for today. I carried his pole, but he toted that string of fish with his head held high.

The venison was smoked, thanks to Billy's knowledge. Sue was so sweet as she thanked Freddie for the fish. The night fell quickly, but the large fire in the middle of camp kept everyone safe and close, though Jasper took the night watch in the tree at the edge of the woods. Discussions of a possible fence were batted around, as were other ideas for keeping us safe. Angela asked about a future garden, but we'd have to come up with some seeds first, and Billy suggested checking out Lake Crescent and all its lodges and accommodations.

I toyed with Freddie's hair as we all sat around the fire but stiffened when someone took a seat next to me. I let out a long, slow breath before looking over at Jacob.

"I know you don't want to hear it, Bells, but we should open up the _in-laws' _cabin. There may be things in there that we need. You're avoiding it, but it's time, you know?"

My eyes narrowed on him at the disdain in his voice at the word in-law. There was a split-second where I couldn't decide whether to call him out on it or smack his face to rid it of the pompous smile he wore whenever Edward or his family were mentioned. I didn't do either.

"Fine," I agreed with a single nod. "I'll open it up tomorrow."

"I'll help, Mom," Freddie piped up, eyeing Jacob with an interesting expression on his face.

"Ah, like father, like son… Too bad he's…" Jacob stopped talking when I shot him a glare, hissing his name.

Angela ruffled Freddie's hair but nudged me from my other side. "Me, too. I'll help you."

"Thanks," I whispered, smiling over at her. "We'll do it once the sun is up."

She nodded, patting Janie's leg. "Let's get to the cabin, babydoll," she told her, only to turn to me. "Want me to take Freddie?"

"Yeah." I kissed the top of my son's head. "Buddy, go with Angela and get ready for bed. I'll tuck you in shortly."

Once they walked into my cabin, I rounded on Jacob, ignoring the fact that everyone else was still sitting around the fire. "Jacob, you will keep your opinions of my husband and his unknown whereabouts to yourself around my son. Am I fucking clear?" I asked him, and when he didn't answer, I leaned closer. "He's seven, you asshole. This shit is hard enough without having him break down about the possibility of losing his dad."

I stood up, fighting not to kick Jake in the face. Just before I turned around, he spoke again.

"I'm not sure it's the kid who's afraid of the breakdown," he said with a derisive chuckle. "Maybe it's you who can't face facts. You're fucking fooling yourself, Bella. That fucker's dead."

The words were like lightning to my heart, shocking and blunt. I could see by Jake's smug face that the mere thought of that made him happy. I shook in order not to punch his face…or shoot him. Both were incredibly appealing, but I wouldn't sink that low. And whether I liked it or not, we needed the extra person, even if he was a selfish asshole.

"Maybe," I finally agreed, shrugging a shoulder. "Though, that still wouldn't change anything. It doesn't erase ten years of being together or eight years of marriage. And believe me, Jake, it doesn't erase the fact that you're still a self-absorbed prick who only thinks of himself. Keep your fucking mouth closed around my son."

I walked away, practically shaking. I walked into my cabin, heading straight into Freddie's room. He was pulling back the covers of his bed. After tucking him in, almost on auto-pilot, I made my way to my room.

I set the lantern down on the dresser just inside the door, leaning back against it and slipping slowly down to the floor. The sight of that room was killing me, especially after the day's events. The room had seen so much love, so much happiness, that it hurt to see it. It had hardly changed since the first time I'd set foot in it, from the same multi-colored quilt to the rough wood furniture. The memories hit me hard as tears ran down my face.

**~oOo~**

_**Blackwood Lake, WA**_

_**Nine years prior…**_

"_Wow, it's so pretty here," I whispered when Edward parked his truck along the side of a small lake right beside one of four cabins._

_His grin was stunning, changing his face from handsome to something just shy of an angel. It was a touch childlike. His entire face smiled – his eyes crinkled, his nose scrunched up, and his head tilted. There were even these bare hints of dimples on either side of his mouth. And God, if he wasn't a beautiful sight for sore eyes. It had been a long seven, almost eight, months._

_And I was completely in love with him._

_I'd thought that he was hot in high school when I'd first moved to Forks to live with my dad. Edward had strolled around the school like he'd owned the place with his really pretty girlfriend, who was just as popular. I'd thought he was handsome when he stepped into Shelly's Bar four years later with Jasper, both of them unnecessarily coming to my rescue against Jacob, though Edward had seen red with my ex. I'd thought he was sweet and caring and so smart with every letter and phone call that had come my way. But seeing him on my father's doorstep after being overseas for so long sealed my feelings. My heart belonged to him._

_We hadn't said the words, but over the course of his tour in Afghanistan, we'd connected in ways I hadn't been expecting. We'd committed to each other, promised to wait, and all but said how we truly felt. When he'd written, asking me to take a weekend with him once he got home, I knew it was a test. A test of how this thing between us would go._

_The cab of his big black truck was quiet, the air charged with everything not said, everything we needed to say, and a chemistry that not only didn't fade with his tour overseas, but it increased exponentially._

_Edward's thumb dragged across my knuckles, causing me to snap out of my thoughts. I turned to face him, and his face held a touch of nerves, but the way he was looking at me was so sweet, like I was the light at the end of the tunnel._

_He released his seat belt and mine, turning me to face him. Swallowing nervously, he took both my hands in his._

"_Tell me what you're thinking, Shortcake, 'cause you've been so quiet on the way here. Nothing has to happen inside that cabin. I just… I wanted to spend time with you…at a place that means something to me. I also wanted privacy to talk. _Just talk_, if that's all you want."_

_His rambling made me smile. I'd only seen the confident senior at Forks High School, never the silly-sweet thing waiting for my answer. It brought the reality of him, of truly knowing him, slamming home._

_He grinned a little, pulling both of my hands up to kiss my knuckles. "Where'd that bold girl with the baseball bat go?"_

_Giggling, I shrugged. "She's here; she's just…really nervous." I let out a deep breath. "I don't wanna mess up, and I'm really happy you're home safe, but I just…" I glanced toward the cabin that was so very perfect in the middle of even more perfect woods. "It's been a long time, and the last…"_

"_One day, I'm going to beat the shit out of your ex. How much trouble did he really give you while I was away?" he asked me, and the growl in his tone just about made me come undone in the cab of that truck._

_I smiled, releasing one of his hands so I could trace the lip that Jacob had split. There was a tiny, almost invisible scar left, but I had a feeling only I could see it. "Not much…especially after I told my dad what had happened at Shelly's that night, what you and Jasper did. You're now my dad's favorite."_

_Edward laughed, his cheeks reddening just a little. "So that's how I was able to steal you away so easily."_

"_Mmhm," I hummed with a nod._

_Edward sobered quickly. "There's no messing up here, Shortcake. None. You're what I came home for," he whispered, a wrinkle forming between his brows. "Seeing you…that's more than enough. I wasn't expecting you, Bella, and if being overseas taught me anything, it's that I can't let shit slide. I'm… I really want this. You. Us. This." He shoved his hand into his hair, which was much shorter than the last time I'd seen him, and tugged it with a frustrated sigh. "This isn't… You can't mess up, Bella, because I've already fallen for you. Nothing could fuck that up. Everything you do…"_

_My lips were on his, probably shocking him, but he caught up so quickly that we both groaned. And it was a rather loud sound inside the truck. His hands slipped into my hair, and I could feel the calloused thumbs rubbing just below my jaw and my ear. Tilting my head, he claimed me with his tongue, tasting and relishing. He slowed us down, his eyes squeezing closed as his forehead fell to mine while we both tried to catch our breath._

"_You mean that?" I asked, smiling when he merely nodded against me. "Me, too. I thought I was crazy."_

_He grinned, those long eyelashes of his sweeping up to reveal deep-green eyes, though the pupils were just about to take over every bit of color. "Then we're both crazy…"_

_Giggling, I sighed happily. "I really am glad you're home safe," I whispered._

_He brushed kisses across my lips, not deepening them. "I'd promised you."_

_I wanted to tell him it was a promise he shouldn't have made, but he seemed fairly proud of himself._

_I huffed a light laugh. "I know you did." Nuzzling his nose with my own, I said, "Take me inside, Edward."_

_He seemed to steel himself, pushing gently off my forehead, but his smile was sweet when he pulled away and opened his truck door. He reached into the bed and grabbed our bags, slinging them onto his shoulder. When I met him at the front steps of the cabin, he smiled and unlocked it._

"_This property is owned by my father's family. The cabins…three belong to my parents and Jasper and me. The fourth one we've considered selling, but right now, it's unoccupied. They're all the same. Three small rooms, a bathroom, and small kitchen and living room. When Jasper's parents died – my aunt and uncle – he inherited all of it, though he signed parts of it over when he turned eighteen."_

_He led me through the place, showing me the different rooms._

"_I got this cabin for myself as a graduation present from him," he finally finished, setting the bags down in the main bedroom. He paused, shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans – jeans that fit so well that I was about to drool at the sight of him. "You don't have to stay in here. I told you… I don't expect…"_

_He looked so unsure, so fragile at what I might or might not say, that I couldn't help but blurt out, "I love you."_

_When his gaze shot up from the wooden floor of the cabin's bedroom to my face, I nodded and smiled, feeling my emotions well up._

"_It's the truth," I said softly, shrugging a shoulder. "Somewhere between you asking me if Jacob hurt me that night at the bar and your last letter telling me you were coming home, I was just…sure of it. I didn't… I was afraid of what would happen while you were gone, and if you didn't… But you did, and I just want you to know."_

_Three long strides, and he had me pressed against the wall of the room. One strong arm was braced against the doorframe by my head, and the other trailed a light, fiery touch down the side of my face._

_His lips met mine again, consuming me, igniting every inch of my skin from head to toe, and I could see that he'd been holding back, even with all the kissing we'd done the week before he'd shipped out. And now, he pressed into me, letting me feel everything. He was warm, with firm, lean muscles and smooth skin, and I could feel his heart pounding in his chest. His biceps bulged beneath my fingers as I tried to hold on, pull him closer, and practically climb him._

"_Fuck me, that was…the best thing I've ever heard," he whispered, dragging his lips across my cheek and down my neck. Sweeping his tongue lightly across my skin, he whispered, "I'm pretty sure it was the baseball bat that won me over, Shortcake."_

_Giggling, my head fell back to the wall behind me with a dull thump. "You know, I'm pretty average at five-foot-three." Though, I secretly loved that he called me that._

_He chuckled, shaking his head, but his hands ran down my sides, only to fully cup my ass. He shifted, gripped, and lifted me up so that I had to wrap my legs around his waist to hold on._

"_But I'm six-foot-two, baby," he argued playfully, grinning when I set my elbows on his strong, broad shoulders. "I need better access," he teased, but the smirk fell quickly when denim brushed against denim in the most delicious of ways. "Jesus… You are so beautiful."_

"_You're just saying that because you've been stuck in a desert for seven months," I said, blushing at the compliment. I'd been called pretty and hot and cute, but never beautiful, and his sincere, handsome face, his unwavering eye contact, told me he really meant it._

"_No," he said with a slow shake of his head. "No, it's the truth. It's because I love you, too, Bella."_

_Placing my hands on either side of his face, I kissed him softly, slowly, finally pulling back to smile at him. "Then show me."_

_He pulled me from the wall and walked me to the bed, settling me down onto the quilt. He loomed over me, his face kind of adorably scrunched up, like he couldn't decide where to start. To say I was nervous would have been an understatement. I'd only ever been with Jacob, and we'd been broken up for months prior to Edward walking into the bar that fateful night, so it had been a long time since I'd last had sex. I knew Edward's history, too. It had come up during a long, late phone call. Kate had been his first, and there had been one other after her – a girl he'd met at a club in Seattle when he and Emmett went off base._

_However, despite both of our anxiety, we slowly settled into one another like we'd always been together. The more we kissed, the easier the touches came. The more we touched, the more clothing that was removed, until there was nothing left between us._

_The way Edward touched me, kissed me, made me feel more than I'd ever felt with Jacob. It was almost overwhelming, the emotions that came from his mouth, whispering words of beauty, love, and things I couldn't quite hear, and I didn't need to hear them to know what he was feeling. Edward seemed to claim parts of me that he liked most – a swirling tongue around my nipples, a tickling bite to my ribs, and a suckling, never-ending kiss between my legs that had me crying out his name._

_When he reached for a condom, I stopped him, pulling him to me. "Just you…and me. I'm on the pill. I want to feel you."_

_It was a first for him, going bare, and when he sank into me, he froze. "Oh God…you feel…"_

_I was pretty sure that was the last coherent words we shared. Once he started moving, everything became sensations and swirling emotions, not to mention pure love and lust and want all rolled up into each kiss, thrust, and touch._

_Whispered pleas to come – and come together – were barely heard over the slaps of skin meeting skin and groaning kisses. My fingers raked down his back as everything in me pulled him closer as I fell over the edge one more time. Tears ran unchecked out of my eyes and back into my hair when Edward's face buried into my neck when he finally came with a string of curses._

_We barely left the bedroom that whole weekend, though I discovered Edward could cook a few things, especially breakfast. We talked about everything, including the possibility of another tour overseas. It made us hold each other close, making love simply to fight the pain of another separation, because now, everything had changed._

**~oOo~**

A soft knock tapped on the door, bringing me out of the memory, and I stood up from the floor. Angela was on the other side, a worried expression on her face.

"You okay? I heard you crying," she said softly.

I nodded, swiping at my tears, but sat down hard on the edge of the bed. She sat next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"It's okay to freak out, you know," she whispered like it was a secret. "You wouldn't be human if you didn't. I get staying strong for Freddie, but…" She sighed deeply, shaking her head. "Bella, you'll make yourself sick holding all this in."

Nodding, I sniffled. "I know. I just… I miss him so much, and Freddie needs him. I _hate_ not knowing anything. I hate it. I just… I want him back, Ang. I need him back, safe and sound. I'd give anything…"

Angela simply nodded, wrapping me in a hug. "God, I can't imagine, sweetie. I at least had closure."

She held me until the tears stopped, though they probably could have gone on and on. She finally brought me a cool, wet cloth to wipe my face.

"Get some sleep, Bella. We'll tackle that cabin in the morning. And if that Jake tries to bug you, I'll shoot him."

Grinning, I sniffled and nodded. "He has a tendency to bring that out in everyone, so don't worry. You're not alone." I stood up from the bed, but looked at it. The memory of our first time together was way too fresh in my mind. "I can't sleep in here. I'm going to cuddle with my boy tonight."

"I can't say I blame you. Poor Janie has gotten sick of me doing the same." Angela grinned but hugged me one more time. "See you in the morning."

**~oOo~**

The pounding of hammer to nail on the outside of Carlisle and Esme's cabin was making my headache worse. I'd cried even more the night before after curling myself around Freddie, which left me feeling empty, with scratchy eyes and a pounding head. Freddie hadn't seemed to mind the intrusion.

Jasper was slowly cutting off the natural light coming in, but Angela and I had brought a few candles and two lanterns to help us out. The damn cabin was like a time machine. Everything looked exactly the same, completely untouched from the last time I'd set foot in it. There was a fine layer of dust, but otherwise, it was pristine.

Janie and Freddie had offered to come along, and they were currently scoping out the bedrooms and bathroom for anything we could use. The kitchen had a few things – some charcoal, lighter fluid, and a few cooking utensils.

"Hey, Mom," Janie piped up from the living room. "What's this?" she asked.

I glanced up when Angela snorted into a soft laugh.

"Janie, girl…you really make me feel old sometimes. You know that?" she countered, rolling her eyes my way as she walked to the shelf with the old wind-up record player.

Laughing at them, I shook my head as I searched a few more cabinets.

"It's a record player," Angela went on to explain. "And a really old one at that." I heard her fiddling with it just before soft music filled the room. "Maybe this will make you appreciate some changes, babydoll. Without power, there are no MP3s or CDs."

"How does it…?" Freddie asked, and I heard the record scratch through the needle.

"Careful, buddy. You'll ruin it," I chided gently with a smile as I watched him pull his hand back. I looked back to Angela. "We'll have to remember that's in here."

"No doubt," she replied with a laugh. "Mrs. North is great and all, but she sings when she…really, really shouldn't."

Grinning, I got back to work. We found another grill, some books that Jack might need to help tutor the kids, and a few hunting supplies in the closet. We'd have to take inventory of ammunition soon. Bullets wouldn't last forever. I also found another bow-and-arrow set.

"Hey, Jazz?" I called out the door.

"Yes, ma'am?" he grunted and then slammed in another nail or two before he stepped into the doorway, brushing off his hands.

"Here," I said, holding the quiver of arrows out for him.

"Ah, excellent. I forgot Uncle Carlisle had these." He smiled crookedly, looking them and the bow over. "Definitely could use these."

Janie, who was normally so shy she barely spoke, squeaked from the hall and ran into the living room like hell itself was on her tail. "Spider!" she wailed, running through, only to trip over the rug at the end of the room.

"Careful, sweetie," I told her, bending down to help her up, but I froze at the sight of a wooden trap door. "No," I whispered, glancing over my shoulder. "Jasper, is this a basement?"

"Hmm?" he hummed, looking up from his newly acquired toy, only to smile. "Nah. Knowing Aunt Esme? That's probably a bunker…a bomb shelter. The cabin I sold to your dad had one, too, but it flooded out."

"Huh," I sighed, looking to Janie, whose face was sweet and curious. She was an adorable girl, with light-brown hair cut into a short bob, hazel eyes, and a face that reminded me of Tinkerbell – like a pretty little elf. "Shall we?" I asked her in a whisper, and she nodded vehemently with a grin on her face.

"Me, too! Me, too!" Freddie said, dropping to his knees beside us.

"Okay, you two roll back the rug," I instructed, standing up out of the way. I squatted down again and hooked my finger into the pull of the trapdoor, lifting it.

The smell was damp and earthy. The air was cool, almost cold, as it whooshed out from beneath the cabin. Freddie handed me a lantern, and when I shined it down into the basement, I saw a staircase leading down below.

Looking between the kids, I said, "Let me go first, and then you guys can come down. Okay?"

The two nodded, wide-eyed and about to shake out of their skin with curiosity. I envied their ability to see adventure at every turn. To them, the whole new world was an adventure, despite the ugly parts they'd seen already. So their sweet faces made me smile. I hoped to hell they kept that outlook.

The air was stale, cool, and damp down below, but my mouth fell open as to what was inside: everything Esme needed in some sort of medical emergency. There were first-aid supplies that lined the shelf – gauze, tape, surgical equipment, even a suture kit. There was even cot down there. Along the other wall were other supplies – water, charcoal, and a few canned goods. All of it could be put to use.

Jasper descended the steps, his eyes wide. "Well, holy shit," he drawled, gazing slowly around. "Now ain't this helpful?" he asked, grinning at me when I laughed.

"No kidding," I said softly, nodding a little. "Well, we'll make use of this stuff, for sure. And this hidden bunker-basement thing…this is perfect for storage."

He spun on me. "And hiding," he added, his eyes flickering up to the two kids peering down at us. "Fuck, Bells… This will keep them and the older folks safe should a pack come through here."

"Pack…or not-so-friendly survivors," I added slowly.

Jasper thought in silence for a moment, finally nodding. "Okay, good to know. Let's leave the medical supplies down here, get a count on the food and water, and we'll tell the others about this place. We'll set up some sort of emergency plan. This cabin will be a safe zone."

Nodding and waving the kids down, I got to work going through the supplies on the shelf. I tried not to think about Edward or his parents, though knowing Carlisle and Esme like I did, they'd have been perfectly fine with what we were doing. I shut out my hurting heart that they, along with Edward and Emmett, were not here to see it…or even give permission. I hoped I'd be able to ask for forgiveness one day, but even that seemed like too much to ask.

But…like I'd told my son, I could still hope.

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… So a little peek into Edward and Bella's history, and a peek into how the camp is faring. Jacob is as charming as ever. (BTW, it was at this point my pre-readers were asking for an ass-kicking of epic proportions. LOL) **

**Edward's up next, so we'll be catching up with him and the others to see how far they've come. This Thursday/Sunday posting schedule seems to be working out okay, as far as my own personal RL schedule goes, so I'll say this… If I **_**can't**_** make it Thursday, you'll know ahead of time, but Sundays are a given. Okay? **

**I want to thank you guys again for every review, rec, and squeal, not to mention the occasional "Eeew." ;) And I see it all, whether it's on here or FB or Twitter or whatever. All pics/banners can be seen on my blog, Twitter, and FB, and those links are on my profile. :)**

**I'll see you guys again Thursday, with probably pic teases somewhere in between. Until then… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N… ** First... I want to wish everyone a safe and fun Halloween. Go scare people! ;)****

**Why…yes, yes Jacob is a "colossal douchebag" and a jackass…and all the other creative names you guys came up with. Even better? All the ways you thought up to give him his much needed ass kicking. Nice job! :D **

**I feel this chapter needs a WARNING… I realize some of you are reading this simply because it's me, and I love you for it and don't take that lightly. THIS CHAPTER has probably the most interaction with zombies up to this point. I just want you warned, so…read it in the daytime, outside, sunny day…something… **

**This chapter also answers a burning question I haven't addressed...or couldn't address without spoiling. So I'll let you get back to Edward…**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 5**

**EDWARD**

_**Florida-Alabama state line**_

_Two and a half months since Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are just about out of Florida," Emmett muttered the announcement, pulling the Hummer into a parking lot next a few abandoned cars. "Please keep all hands inside the vehicle until it comes to a complete stop," he rambled on, but he probably meant that shit.

"Thank fuck," I grumbled, giving the parking lot we were in an assessing gaze as I got out, Sasha right behind me. "That took way longer than it damn well should have."

I pulled my gun from my back to my front, checking the silencer before slipping into the roadside motel's office. We'd learned by trial and error once we'd pulled out of Patrick AFB. Noise drew the zekes in faster than anything, which meant gunfire was a last resort. However, to save time, avoid up-close contact, and clear our way quickly, guns were the better option. Emmett had been really vigilant about the ammo and guns we'd taken from the base, and silencers had been among them – for both handguns and rifles. Though, his crazy ass had found a Marine's dress/ceremony sword on base and had sharpened it enough he could probably shave with the damn thing. Most of one Hummer was taken up with ammo and camping equipment, while the other was food, clothes, and medical supplies. But tonight, we'd wanted a bed and running water.

I found two keys to two separate yet adjoining rooms hanging on a pegboard, smirking Emmett's way. "At least we don't need power for these. Those keycard locks don't do us any fucking good if we have to break in to use them."

"Just pray the fucking water's runnin'," he countered as he poked around the office. "Cold or not…I don't care."

"No shit," I sighed, looking down at Sasha, who usually stuck to me like glue. "We're clear, girl?"

She wriggled in response, happy as a clam as she panted heavily. Her demeanor when things were clear was easy and light, but if she sensed zekes, she was tense, ridged, and fierce. Bringing her along had been a damn good idea, though Emmett and I were attached to her, simply because she was the first good thing we'd found in Florida…and the last. She'd proved herself not only helpful as hell, but a walking, growling alarm against zekes and survivors with bad intentions.

Dad was standing guard along the sidewalk in front of the row of motel rooms. Mom was still inside the Hummer they'd been driving the last two weeks. My dad wanted one more vehicle, but not until we'd made it out of Florida, maybe the south altogether. He was hoping for a decent RV but would probably settle for a pickup truck, something with which he could pull a camper.

I tossed a key his way, and he caught it one-handed. "Lucky thirteen, Dad," I told him with a grin.

"Lucky indeed," he replied as we walked to twelve first. "We'll sweep both rooms and then open the door between. Okay?"

"Sir," Emmett said with a single nod, slipping the key into the room he and I would share for the next few hours.

We used flashlights and the Hummer's headlights to let us see inside. It was two beds, a dresser, and a beat-up TV, all representative of an old motel. The room looked clean, not that we'd care, and I stepped through to the bathroom, calling clear.

When we'd done the same to my parents' room and propped open the door between them, we unloaded enough supplies and clothes for the night.

I gazed around again. We were just outside the edge of Pensacola, not far from crossing over into Alabama. We'd passed between Blackwater River State Forest and Eglin AFB earlier in the day. We hadn't even stopped. It had been a cesspool of zekes wandering in herds. Hell, the whole state had been that way. We were hoping that once we were out of the dear, sweet Sunshine State, which had been ground-zero for this virus, that things would get better. We weren't holding our breaths.

We'd traveled up through central Florida, having to avoid most major highways – 75had been sporadic with open roads and I-4 had been a fucking morgue, but we'd occasionally had to switch over to 41. The back roads had been easier. We'd seen more attacks than we could count, tried to help a few people along the way who were simply trying to stay alive, hunker down, and a few of the bigger cities had been destroyed – some in part to Hurricane Beatrice, and some looked like they'd waged war. Parts of Orlando had been on fire as we'd driven through. Our guess was that survivors fighting back had gotten out of hand, though we could tell that martial law had been implemented in some places and had fallen. Occasionally, the sound of explosions would reach us all the way to where we'd camped that night. To see Disney World in flames had been a strange and surreal experience.

Just before we'd reached I-10 to turn west, we'd driven through farm country – horses, specifically. Fields burned, horses attacked and eaten, and several farmers guarded their property with weapons that rivaled ours. We'd been allowed to camp one night, but no more. Unfortunately, it was that night that we'd fought the hardest. The herd that had moved through that night was the biggest any of us had ever seen, and we'd tried to save every member of that family on the farm, but we'd barely gotten our own asses out of there intact. It was there that we'd seen just how quickly the infection was spreading.

"Son, you want me to take first watch?" Mom asked, and I smiled over at her, shaking my head.

"No, go ahead and take a break," I told her, leaning in to her kiss to my cheek.

She may have been my mother and a damn good doctor, but she was just as much a trained officer as the rest of us. She could handle guns and tough situations with a calm assertion that would probably shock her lady friends back in Forks.

That thought made my chest ache with homesickness. I was homesick for my wife, my son, our house…all of it. I tried not to dwell on just how bad things had turned and what Forks could look like now.

"You okay, Edward?" she asked, placing a hand on the side of my face and making me look her way, though she didn't believe my nod whatsoever. "Try again, sport."

I grinned briefly but looked down before back at her. "I was thinking about Ocala. They…that was… They were turning in less than a minute. I'm not even sure it took thirty seconds."

"Mmm," she hummed, nodding a little. "Yeah, the virus has changed, adapted. You did everything you could to save that boy."

Frowning, I sighed wearily. "He was protecting his grandfather, which worked, but in running out to the barn, he signed his own death warrant. I tried to stop him."

"I know. His family knew, too."

"If they're changing that fast…" I started but looked over when my dad and Emmett joined us.

"If I'm estimating correctly, then I'd be willing to bet most of the world is gone," Dad stated, slapping my shoulder. "Go. _I'm_ taking the first watch. I want all of you rested when we leave tomorrow. We've got to drive around Pensacola, not to mention try to get around Mobile. Once we're in Alabama, we can turn north a bit, but the large cities are too dangerous, not to mention the roads are deadlocked… Um, no pun intended," he said with a snort, rolling his eyes.

"Well, I'm gonna guess we'll need to start thinking about food somewhere around Mississippi or Arkansas, if we're turning northwest," Emmett added. "We can hunt in some of the woods along the way, but we'll need some things by then, I think. And then there's gas. I'll check these cars in the morning." He pointed to the few around us.

"I agree." I nodded, removing the rifle from my shoulder. "Give me a few hours, and I'll relieve you."

"Sure, son," Dad said with a weary smile, and he turned to my mother. "You, too. Go on inside. I've got this."

"Smack the windows if you need us," Emmett ordered, pointing to the two side-by-side windows.

Dad nodded and then faced the parking lot. We had no choice but to watch out for ourselves this way. Some survivors didn't always approach with the best of intentions, and herds could sneak up on us, especially at night or in the rain. Damn, if the rain didn't make them worse, even more disgusting than they already were.

Sasha was curled up in the doorway between the rooms, and Emmett went about pouring her some food and water.

"You take the first shower, Ed. Let the water run a bit before you get in," he said, scrunching up his nose. "You never know how long it's been in those pipes."

I nodded, grabbing my gear and a battery lantern. I turned on the water in the shower, leaning in front of the mirror. I rubbed the beard that had grown over the last two weeks of travel, smirking at myself at just how much my Bella would've hated it. She preferred smooth skin and to be able to see my face. Groaning at how badly it was going to sting shaving with cold water, I turned the tap on anyway and pulled out soap and a razor.

Once my face was smooth, I stepped inside the shower, hissing at the cold water, but proceeded to make quick work of washing. Dirt, grime, sweat, blood…it all washed down the drain in a muddy color. Small scratches stung, old bruises were yellowing, and my sore muscles tensed, but by the time I stepped back out, I felt a thousand times better…almost normal, relaxed.

I pulled on clean cargo pants, leaving my shirt off for the night. When I stepped back out into the room, Emmett was putting together something for us to eat.

"It ain't a steak dinner, but it'll have to do," he said, pushing a can of beef stew my way. He'd gotten really good at using cans of sterno we'd found on base to heat shit up in a hurry without building a full-blown fire, which could attract the zekes out of nowhere.

"I'll take it. Thanks," I sighed, falling down on the edge of the bed and pushing myself up to the headboard.

Sasha hopped up there with me, laying her head on my thigh as I finished the whole can.

"You could use a bath, too, big girl," I told her, and her sleepy amber eyes rolled up to my face before falling closed again. I ran a hand over her head for a few minutes, grateful for the quiet night.

I had to have dozed off at some point, because I snapped awake at the low, rumbling growl Sasha was emitting. Her face was fierce, her lips twitching, and her ears perked up. Glancing at the other bed, I saw Emmett sit up.

"What is it?" I whispered, and he shook his head, stepping up to the window that we'd left open just to hear my dad.

It was then that we heard a sharp tap on our window. We jumped into action, pulling on T-shirts and boots, strapping on weapons, and opening the door.

The sun was just peeking over the trees in the east to a cloudy day, but it gave us a much better view of our surroundings, allowing us to see what had been cloaked in darkness the night before. Across the way was a rather large strip mall, but it was the dark-green van tearing out of the parking lot that had my dad on alert…and Sasha. She was bristled, with her head low and her growl continuing nonstop. She stepped forward but stayed between Emmett and me.

"I heard gunshots coming from that Wal-Mart," Dad said softly, jerking his chin across the way.

I rubbed my face to wake up a little more, glancing over when my mother stepped out of her room fully dressed and armed, which was damned good timing, as the van swerved out of the parking lot of the mall and into our motel one.

The side door slid open with a bang, allowing the sound of curses, arguing, and yelling out into the quiet morning. A tall blonde girl was ejected from the van, a backpack tossed at her feet.

"Royce, stop! You can't do this! We have to go back for my sister!" She sobbed, snatching up her bag, but before she could reach for the van, the tires squealed, the door slammed closed, and the driver flipped her off as he turned out onto the street.

The girl collapsed to her knees and sobs meeting my ears. It was my mother who moved first. She shouldered her weapon and approached the girl carefully.

"Aw, fuck me," I sighed, following behind her.

We didn't know the girl, and there was no telling what her problem was, but I couldn't let my mother go to her alone, which proved a good thing when the girl suddenly lashed out.

"Don't fucking touch me! I have to… You don't…" she rambled through tears and curses and snot, but when she shoved my mother, Emmett and I reacted instantly. He went to Mom, and I dodged a slap or two before securing the girl's arms behind her back.

She was strong as hell and fought me tenaciously, but I held her arms tight. My eyes narrowed in on a bruise or two along her face and arms. My hope was that she got them fighting zekes, not the asshole who'd just dumped her off and left her for dead.

"Calm down!" I snarled in her ear. "We're not gonna hurt you."

"Let me go, let me go, let me go," she chanted, going silent when Emmett knelt in front of her.

"He can hold you all damn day, princess, or…you can settle the fuck down," he warned her.

"My sister!" she cried, looking across the street to Wal-Mart. "He…he… The motherfucker just left her!"

My mother stepped away, giving the store a long gaze, but my father had binoculars. "Zekes," he stated grimly. "A shit-ton of them, or at least the movement I see inside makes me think there are too many."

"She's only thirteen!" She finally sagged, glancing at me over her shoulder. "Please, _please_ let me go."

"Can you stay calm?" I asked her, and she nodded.

I released my hold on her, and she squirmed away, scrambling to her feet. She picked up her bag, rummaging around in it until she came out with what looked like a damn steak knife. When she started across the street, my mother stopped her again.

"You can't go in there, sweetheart," she told her, shaking her head. "It's a death sentence."

"I can't leave her. She's all I have left."

I knew the second Emmett's shoulders sagged briefly, only to straighten back up, that we were going in.

Gripping my hair, I sighed. "This is…really gonna suck," I muttered but turned toward the Hummers. "Fine! Dad, lock up the rooms." I dove into the Hummer Emmett and I were sharing and grabbed a few clips, two .45s, and a couple of knives.

Emmett loaded up on his own ammo and weapons, and I turned to the girl. "What's your name?"

"R-Rose," she sniffled.

"Okay, Rose. I'm Edward, and that's Emmett, Carlisle, and Esme," I introduced as we all walked quickly across the street to the mall parking lot. I took the steak knife out of her hand and threw it several yards. "This…" I held up a military-grade knife that was about five inches longer than the crap she'd had. "This will serve you better."

She took it with a nod.

"Next… Can you shoot a gun?"

"I'm…I _have_, but…I'm not very good."

"You don't have to be good; just slow them down enough so they can't get you. A bullet to the leg puts them to the ground. A bullet to the head stops them completely. Chest shots are bullshit. Got me?"

Rose nodded, taking the .45 I was handing her.

"Safety, chamber a round, and you're good to go," I instructed, turning to the rest of them. "We do this together."

"Rose, where was your sister?" Mom asked her.

"B-Bathroom. Back far right corner, but…Royce wouldn't wait…"

The piercing scream we heard made my skin break out into goose bumps and my brow into a cold sweat. That was the sound of pure terror. A _kid_ in terror.

"Once we're inside, split up," I told them. "Rose, you stay with Emmett up the middle. Mom, Dad…take the far left just in case she tried to run. I'll go up the right to the back. What's your sister's name?"

"Tanya."

I nodded, leading them all through the busted doors of the store. The stench was what hit me first, decay and rot and blood. But the growling, snarling, and shuffling simply pissed me off.

"Attention Wal-Mart shoppers…the store is about to fucking close," Emmett muttered, making me grin in spite of the circumstances.

I stepped quickly inside, the sound of crunching glass under my boots gaining me unwanted attention, and Sasha bounded over it with ease, the click of her nails and her growl gaining even more attention. Three zekes wandered out from the customer service desk and two from the registers, and I aimed, taking them out, only to move to the right of the store and up the aisle.

Gunfire sounded all over the store, along with Sasha's barks, but I focused my attention to the back of the building. I passed what used to be the frozen food section, but it was thawed, smelling of sour milk and rotten food. I jumped over spilled shelves, ransacked clothing racks, and took out four more zekes before I reached the back of the store.

"C'mon, kid… Where are you?" I muttered to myself, eyeing the long aisle before focusing on the push doors that lead to bathrooms and stock. Another scream sounded from that back room, crawling up my spine, and I kicked open the doors. "Tanya?"

"Here!"

It was much darker back there. I couldn't see a damn thing, so I shouldered my rifle, pulling out my flashlight and .45. I heard the bastards fumbling around toward the far corner. Shining the light that way, I sighed in relief that the girl was holding her own, but it wouldn't last long. They'd cornered her on top of the shelves, and the poor thing was holding on to the metal rafter in order not to slip and fall.

A greenish-colored hand with missing digits shot out from the shelf beside me, grabbing my arm, but I shrugged it off, spinning to pop off a round. That caught the attention of every zeke pushing on the shelf Tanya was barely clinging to. They all turned my way, almost in unison. Teeth snapped, hands reached, but I started shooting. Exploding heads and the sickening wet splatter that went with each bullet echoed around me until I barely even heard it. When I finally cleared the aisle, I checked up and down, finally looking up at Tanya.

"Okay, kiddo, come down," I told her, waving my hand.

"Where's Rose?" she asked, letting go of the metal bar above her, but the shelving unit was weakened by the zekes pushing on it.

"She's here. She asked us to help get you outta here… Whoa, careful…"

The girl reached for the rafter again, but it gave way. The roof opened up, spilling down water and filth, not to mention Tanya herself. Rushing forward, I caught her just before her head smacked to the concrete or metal could fall on her.

"You okay?" I panted, looking up at the sky through the now opened roof.

"Yeah…"

"No bites? Nothing?" I asked but set her on her feet when she shook her head no.

Sasha bounded down the aisle toward us, her hackles up, her teeth bared, glowing bright white in the dark storage room. Tanya cowered behind me.

"She won't hurt you," I soothed, and I saw that Sasha wasn't barking at the girl but at the opening in the roof.

"Ah, shit," I said, pushing the girl behind me, because I could hear the shuffling, dragging footsteps just before two, three, four zekes fell down from above. "How in the blue fuck…" I turned to Tanya. "Stay right here, okay? Right behind me." When she nodded, I traded my .45 for my rifle.

I felt her hand grip the back of my T-shirt, but I noted two more falling from above, smiling when one's head shattered on the concrete floor, the sound not unlike dropping a melon to the ground. The few that remained intact after their plunge started our way.

"Sasha, stay," I commanded, and the dog stood her ground. I didn't need her to corral them; the tight space would work against her anyway.

One more fell from the roof, and I took her out, finally seeing most of those from the roof were dressed the same. They'd been employees simply trying to get away.

The door swung open, and Emmett, Rose, and my parents all came in, but Tanya burst into tears again.

"Rose!" she wailed, rushing to her sister, and I could see the resemblance.

Tanya was thin, almost lanky, with the same blonde hair, only with a touch of red to it. It was obvious that the younger one would grow to be tall and pretty like the older sibling. They were tears and hugs, apologies and smiles. It was damn good to see.

"You okay?" Dad asked, and I nodded, wiping my face on my shirt sleeve.

Tanya stepped to me, tugging my shirt again, and I gazed down into big blue eyes. "Thank you…" she said, pausing a bit.

"Edward," I said with a smile and a ruffle of her hair. "This is my dad, Carlisle. That big lug over there is Emmett. And my mother, Esme, is the one over there perusing the shelves."

Tanya smiled and nodded, waving.

"Oh, now you're shy?" I chuckled but looked to Mom. "If we're stocking up, there's no better place than this," I told her. "We'll need oil for the trucks and any food or water you can find."

"I'd like to check the pharmacy, too," Dad added.

"Fine, fine. But I want back on the road soon. We've got some rain rolling in," I warned them, starting for the doors back into the store.

"You're leaving us?" Tanya asked, ignoring her sister's hissed warning, because there was a panic that I could see starting to build in the kid.

I looked up to see Emmett's gaze on Rose, and then I looked to my parents. Again, my mother stepped forward.

"You're welcomed to come with us for however long you wish."

"Where are you headed?"

"Washington," I answered firmly.

Rose looked from me, to the rest of us, and finally to her pleading sister's face.

"Please, Rose? I don't wanna ride with Royce no more. He's a jerk. He was mean," Tanya blurted out, making her sister flinch, but she finally nodded in acquiescence.

"Yeah, well…Royce is long gone," Emmett drawled, rolling his eyes to lighten things, but his face was livid. "C'mon, you'll need clothes and shit. And maybe one of these cars out here, which reminds me… Gas, Edward. We'll need to stock up from this parking lot, siphon what we can."

"Then let's get this shit done. We're looking at a few hours of work," I told them, walking through the doors and into the store.

I shook my head at where we were. Freddie loved his trips with me to Wal-Mart. Somehow, he'd end up with some new damn game or toy or whatever every time we'd go, which Bella always gave me shit about but with barely any oomph behind it.

"Edward! Wait up," Tanya called, and I looked down at her when she caught up to me. "I can help. I can carry stuff."

Grinning, I sighed because she was sweet and hyper and an almost painful reminder of my son, who was similar. I eyed her like I did Freddie, with a raised eyebrow and a pursed mouth, like I had to think about it. Her blue eyes gazed worriedly up at me, and I snorted.

"Okay, okay. So…go grab a bag or box or something. We're gonna need it."

She nodded, racing away.

Sasha sat in front of me, tilting her head.

"Don't judge me, big girl," I told her. "You were just as bad. Now, let's grab you some dog shampoo. You stink. I don't want to be trapped with your smelly ass in the truck all the way to Mississippi."

**~oOo~**

_**Clarksdale, Mississippi**_

_Two months and three weeks after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

The water tower of Clarksdale shone like a beacon in the setting sun. The damn thing was painted gold, which made it even more noticeable. But the town was dead. Literally. There wasn't a sign of life whatsoever as I led our small caravan through the main street.

I continued through town, passing a few beat-up diners, a hardware store, and an old theater that looked like it had fallen into disrepair way before the virus was set loose. The edge of the small town had a motel – the Riverside Motel – and I pulled in, gazing over at Sasha.

"Well?" I asked her, smirking when she glared out the windshield with her ears perked up, then the passenger side window, finally letting out a soft "boof."

"If you say so, big girl."

I slipped down from the Hummer, letting Sasha out behind me, and I joined everyone else in the parking lot. The motel overlooked endless fields. The cotton plants were dead, just simply withering away. Beyond that was just tall green grass, with trees in the distance.

Emmett was surveying everything around us through binoculars – each way down the empty street, the fields, and finally the farm on the farthest side of the open fields. My parents walked to the motel office, most likely looking for keys.

"I've got two zekes wandering just on the edge of those trees, but we're too far away to attract them," he said, pulling the binoculars away. "We should be clear for now."

My gaze landed on Rose and Tanya, both of whom were looking at the motel with fear…and a little disdain. It wasn't the Ritz, for sure, so I couldn't blame them.

The two had been with us since that morning at Wal-Mart. We'd left Florida that same day. Emmett had managed to find a halfway decent RV. It wasn't big, with a van-style cab. Inside had been clean, and there was a bed above the cab and a foldout sofa. It worked for the two of them, not to mention it made my dad happy to have it. It was extra storage and shelter should we need it, and Emmett drove it most of the time.

I had to give Rose credit. She was tougher than she looked. At first glance, she came across as a bit standoffish, and she was built like a model, but she'd put damn good use of the knife and gun I'd given her as we'd driven across Mississippi. We'd avoided Pensacola and Mobile just fine, but trying to go around Jackson had been touchy. There had been pile-ups on just about every highway, which almost trapped us with a herd of zekes. They'd taken us by surprise when we'd stopped to siphon gas.

However, we were about to enter into Arkansas, and we were hoping to stay just far enough away from Little Rock and Memphis, Tennessee, to avoid trouble. We wanted to drive evenly between them. So far, we were continuing on in a northwestern direction. I was hoping to keep that shit up. Aside from Jackson, things had eased up once we'd left Florida. Though, that made sense, considering it was the first hit with not only the virus but the hurricane, as well.

"This place smells funny," Tanya said with wrinkled nose.

"Boof," Sasha piped up softly, starting to wander around sniffing everything.

"She agrees with you," I said with a chuckle, glancing over my shoulder when I heard footsteps.

"No keys." Dad shrugged, pointing to the line of doors. "We'll have to bust them open."

Sasha made it to the first door, stiffening, her growl turning into a single bark.

"What you wanna bet there are no keys because every room is full," Emmett surmised grimly.

"Dammit," I grumbled, walking to the door and pressing an ear to it. Sasha's bark had stirred up something inside. The telltale moans and scratches on the door proved it. After checking the next few doors, my head fell back in defeat. "I am in no mood to clear this shit out, and even if we did, there's no telling what conditions the rooms are in."

"Eeew!" Tanya scowled, shaking her head.

Emmett sighed, because we were just dead on our feet. We needed a day's rest, or at least one good night's sleep. He lifted the binoculars again, gazing across to the farm.

"Well, we could check out that farm," he suggested. "I mean, worst case, the barn's probably clean. Hell, farms that size have equipment, which means fuel, so maybe we'll get lucky."

"So…farm?" Dad asked, putting it to a vote.

"Yeah, sure." I nodded, scratching Sasha's ear.

When everyone was in agreement, he led us back out onto the street. The farm's driveway was dirt that had grown over just a little, but the tire ruts were pretty set in. In fact, it looked like no one had been in or out of the place for days, possibly weeks. As we neared the home, I noted a silo, the typical red barn, and exactly what Emmett had been looking for: gas. Two large tanks sat just outside the barn between two yellow tractors – one marked diesel, and the other marked regular.

However, the closer we got to the house, the more zekes I could see. They were wandering through the fields, some stumbling out from the trees. If I'd had to guess, I would've said they were the field workers, employees of the farm. I saw some in jeans, some in overalls, a few in coveralls. And they all started to shift toward us when they caught our movement.

Sasha barked lightly at them from the window as we parked under some shade trees. The dog made me smile. She was the hardest worker of all of us.

"Nah, no herding, big girl. We'll take them out long-distance, yeah?" I ruffled the top of her head before reaching into the back for my rifle with the silencer. Sniper had never been my job, but I'd gotten good at it since I'd woken up on the base in Florida.

Using the hood of the Hummer to steady the gun, I aimed, adjusted the sight, and quietly took out the handful of zekes in the field. Behind me, I heard someone do the same for the other side of the property.

Trading the rifle for my .45, I let Sasha out of the truck, only to gaze up at the house in front of us. I saw movement on the second floor.

"We'll have to sweep the house," I told Emmett, pointing from my eyes to the curtain that was still fluttering. "You and Dad take the downstairs. Rose and I will go upstairs. Mom can stay with Tanya, catching any stragglers coming out of those trees."

"Ten-four," Emmett sang, pulling on a baseball cap backwards. "Old MacDonald had a farm… E-I-E-I-Ohhh…" His warbling made Tanya giggle, which I was pretty sure was his intention, because we'd all grown attached to her, but I was damn sure he was even more attached to Tanya's older sister. And if I was reading Rose correctly, then the feelings were mutual.

Before Emmett could start singing "The Farmer in the Dell," I smacked his shoulder to shut him up as we stepped up onto the porch. He pulled open the screen door slowly, wincing at the creaking it did, only to prop it open with his leg. He let out a quick breath when he reached for the doorknob of the front door. I nodded once to indicate I was ready.

He slowly turned the knob, pushing the door open. It didn't make a sound, except for the soft thump when it touched the wall. I rushed in to the right, with Rose behind me. Emmett took the left, followed closely by my dad.

The house smelled stale, unused. But it also smelled sick, as in an illness. The scent reminded me of visits to my grandmother's house before she'd died. I'd been just a kid, but that smell was almost identical.

Boots fell heavily to the wooden floor as my dad and Emmett cleared each room of the first floor. When they circled back, shaking their heads, I nodded to Rose to move toward the staircase. It was then that we heard it – heavy breathing, dragging footsteps, and finally the growl from the top of the stairs. The zeke was in little-girl pajamas, though she'd probably been a teen when she'd turned. Dark hair was a tangled mass on her head, and her neck had been torn open, leaving her left arm hanging limply at her side. The stench of her filled the tight space of the staircase, but Rose didn't even blink. She raised her gun and fired, the bullet meeting its mark right between the eyes.

The zeke fell, and I pulled Rose to the side to let it tumble to the first floor.

"Where there's one, there's possibly more," I told her, leading us up to the landing. There were three doors to the right and two to the left, though the end of the hall was clearly a bathroom. A couple of the doors were closed, while the rest were open. It was one of the closed ones that suddenly slammed open.

I raised my weapon at the figure that stepped out into the hallway.

"Don't shoot!" she cried, holding up her hands.

"Jesus, she's alive," Rose gasped, frowning at the girl at the end of the hallway. "Damn, girl, you just about got killed!"

Grinning at Rose's temper, I started toward the obviously frightened girl. Though, she wasn't quite a girl. She was probably early twenties, but petite, with long, raven-colored hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"Fuck, have you been trapped in there?" I asked her, but before the girl could take two steps toward me, a gnarled, twisted gray hand shot out of closest dark room, grabbing her by the that long-ass ponytail.

Rose and I jumped into action at the same time. She pulled her knife, and I aimed blindly into the dark, popping off three rounds at the same time Rose's knife came down swiftly. I couldn't be sure if she was aiming for the hand itself, or the hair, but she caught the latter, and that ponytail fell to the floor still gripped in that greenish-gray hand.

The girl fell forward on her knees, scrambling quickly away from the door, but I kicked the door to the room open, still hearing the low, hissing growl. One more bullet shut the zeke up.

I let out a deep breath, turning to the sobbing girl on the floor. "That it? Any more in here?"

She shook her head, her hands going to her head, but she gazed up at me. "No, just my mom and my sister."

"That's not your family anymore," Rose stated almost harshly.

"I know," she said, sniffling and nodding at the same time. "They turned yesterday morning. They'd tried to get some firewood but got caught by surprise in the barn. I should've… I'd been…asleep. They'd both been bitten."

The guilt was written all over her face as she looked up at me. There wasn't much to say. It was a shitty new era. Everyone was losing everyone. That thought made my eyes close, had me pushing my fears and worry down deep. To panic now about my family, my wife and son, wouldn't get me anywhere.

Rose moved me out of the way, kneeling in front of the girl. "I'm Rose. That's Edward."

"Alice. Alice Brandon." She tried to smile, but she was still in a touch of shock.

"Sorry about the hair, Alice," Rose stated, smacking me when I snorted.

Alice cracked a small smile, pulling the band out of it. It fell around her face just below her jaw. "It'll grow back, I guess."

"Listen, we were merely looking for a place to camp for the night…" I started, but Alice stood in front of me, already nodding.

"No, I should thank you, so…make yourselves at home," she said, starting for the stairs, but she stopped and faced us again. "But…when you go?" she started, and I nodded for her to continue. "Please, _please_…" She glanced between us. "Please, take me with you. I gotta get out of here. You can have all the food and supplies my dad stored up before he…you know. Just…take me with you."

I looked down the stairs to see Emmett and my parents watching us, most likely on alert from all the gunshots. My dad shrugged, my mother smiled, and Emmett nodded.

Turning back to Alice, I nodded. "Okay, but be ready to roll out when the sun comes up."

She sagged in relief and nodded. "No problem. C'mon. I'll get you guys something to eat."

Alice rushed down the stairs, and Rose chuckled next to me. "Not exactly Rambo, but she's plenty stocked up."

I sighed, smirking over at her. "There's safety in numbers, I guess. Besides, I couldn't stay here either…not with…" I waved toward what had once been Alice's mother. "Let's clean these up for her, yeah?"

Rose's face was calm as she nodded, but she reached for my left hand. She tapped my wedding band. "Is this the reason we're heading to Washington?" she asked. "I've wanted to ask, but…"

I turned my ring once, twice, three times. "Yes," I whispered, looking down at the glinting gold. "I have to… I promised her and my boy, and even if… I _need to know_," I urged, wrinkling my nose. "She's smart, and I hope I gave her fair warning, but…"

Rose smiled, patting my shoulder before reaching for the dead woman. "Then I hope we make it. You and Emmett…even your parents…you saved my sister, so I owe you. I'll do my best to help you."

Smiling gratefully, I helped her lift the body. "Thanks, Rose."

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… So, yes…Alice and Rose BOTH are in this story, but I couldn't answer that question just yet. There's another character that's important to everyone, but I can't answer that one just yet, either.**

**We're sticking with Edward again for the next chapter, and as you can see, time is moving forward as well as can be expected, but at least they're out of Florida. For those that were concerned about Esme – she may be a doc, but she was a former military surgeon, so she's just as much a soldier as the rest of them. And yeah, totally destroyed my home state of Florida…LOL There was something strangely fun about that. ;)**

**All links are on my profile for my FB, Twitter, and blog. You can find the pic teases there. Keep an eye on FicSisters this week... ;)**

**Until Sunday… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N… I hope everyone had a good Halloween. It came and went fast, which now spirals us down into the **_**holiday season**_**. *shudders* Now, THAT'S scary… ;)**

**Okay, we're staying with Edward and company with this one. I was glad to see that most of you were happy that the group was growing, that they were making headway while finding survivors at the same time, and that Alice, Rose, and Tanya made their appearance. **

**I'm going to answer a few questions at the bottom, so I'll get out of your way…**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 6**

**EDWARD**

_**Clarksdale, Mississippi**_

_Three months after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

"Fuck me, I miss Google," Emmett groaned, joining me at the picnic table as he eyed the roadmap I had spread out with hatred and disdain. "And GPS…and oh, hell…McDonald's…"

Snorting, I nodded. "And electricity and phones and refrigeration and…"

"Okay, asshole. I get it. I'm whining."

"Yes. Yes, you are," I agreed without looking up from the route I was trying to plan, though I did shoot a wink to Tanya when she giggled.

"I miss microwave popcorn," she piped up, and I grinned her way.

"You can still have popcorn, you know," I told her, and she looked at me like I had three heads. "I'll show you. The next store we stop for supplies, I'll get you popcorn. My son actually likes it better from the stove. I taught him how to make it on the last camping trip we went on."

"No butter," Emmett pouted.

"Would you shut the hell up?!" I snapped, rolling my eyes. "I got this. You'll have popcorn. Trust me. It may take a few days, but I'll get it done."

"Sweet," he sang, sharing a fist-bump with Tanya.

I shook my head, but it was actually nice to have a small moment of normal. Everyone had taken a few days at Alice's farmhouse to rest. She'd had more than enough supplies, and the area was relatively safe, so we'd opted to stay an extra couple of nights. In all honesty, it was nice to have a roof over our heads, beds or couches to sleep on, and real showers, not to mention Alice's family were farm owners, which meant they grew, canned, and stocked plenty of their own food. And most of it was already loaded in Rose's RV.

We'd emptied the regular gas tank on the side of the barn and taken some of the diesel, simply as a lighter fluid. It wouldn't work in the lamps or any of the vehicles, but it did help set dead zekes on fire, which was how we'd disposed of Alice's mother and sister.

However, with every night there, my urge to get back on the road made me anxious. It felt wrong to be comfortable when I had no idea about my Bella or my son. My eyes studied the map again, but my knee started to bounce. The shit I'd seen since I'd woken up on the base made my imagination, my fears, skyrocket into something I couldn't control. I couldn't shake the thoughts that even if we made it to Blackwood Lake, they wouldn't be there. Or if they were there, they were no longer…

_Crack._

The pencil in my hand snapped in two, and I glared at it for a moment.

"Ed?" Emmett called softly. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I just… We need to leave tomorrow. We've stalled long enough." I tossed down the pieces, standing up from the table. "I've marked a route, and I think we'll have enough supplies to get us well into Oklahoma, maybe even Kansas. I'm gonna go check the traps Dad and I put down yesterday."

"Mmm, bunny stew," he hummed, grinning up at me, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Do what you do, Ed."

"Can I come?" Tanya asked.

I nodded, looking to Sasha, who was instantly on her feet. "No, big girl. Stay and watch the house." She plopped down on her haunches, narrowing her eyes at me, but I needed her to guard the ones left behind.

Just as Tanya and I passed by the porch, my dad called my name. In his hand was something that made me smirk, reminded me of old times.

"You hoping to give that to Jasper?" I asked, smirking at his grin.

"He was always better with this thing than the rest of us," he stated with a nod. "It's Alice's father's crossbow. Thought maybe you'd want it. The arrows are reusable, at least. We can probably find more along the way."

My eyebrows raised up high because he had a point. "Not to mention silent," I added, taking the weapon from him and turning it over in my hands.

"And silent," my dad echoed, smiling at Tanya. "Where're you two headed?" he asked her.

"Checking traps." She looked rather proud to be going.

"Ah, yes. I'll come with you."

Once he'd grabbed his gun, we stepped out of the yard and into the woods. The trees near the home weren't all that old, but as we stepped farther inside, the canopy above us thickened, almost blocking out the sun. Cicadas droned on and on as the soft, warm breeze rustled through the leaves, and off in the distance, a dog barked, which made me pause to make sure it wasn't Sasha, although Emmett knew to fire his gun should he need us.

When the woods stayed quiet, I kept going, but Tanya started chattering, much to my father's amusement.

"Who's Jasper?"

"My cousin, but he came to live with us when he was seventeen and I was twelve. He's more like my brother."

"Was he in the Army too?"

"No, he's…was in construction, but he was built for the outdoors – hunting, fishing, camping."

"Where is… Where was…"

Chuckling a little, I helped her out. "He lives in Washington. Where we're from."

"And that's where we're going?"

"Yes."

"Is he with your wife and son?" she asked, and I flinched. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be," I muttered, glancing over at my father, who was watching me carefully. I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "If _anyone_ on this planet can survive this whole thing, it's Jasper. And I'm not sure I trust anyone more to take care of my family. Maybe my father-in-law."

We were quiet for the next few yards, and two out of the three traps had caught rabbits. However, the third trap had caught something we hadn't expected – a zeke.

"Aw, hell," I sighed, pushing Tanya back. "Don't go near it."

The zeke was skinny, pulling and pulling at a trap that was attached to the tree next to it. The flesh was literally stripping from his calf. The smell of decay was overwhelming as he saw us and lunged again and again. His death was obvious, with his throat torn open and his jaw hanging slack, but still, he kept reaching for us.

"Not bright, are they?" my dad asked, looking up at me.

Shaking my head, I brought up the crossbow. I took in the empty, feral, lifeless thing. The eyes were muddy, with a hazy glaze over the color, and its skin looked splotchy and sallow, though at some point it could have been olive tone. Lastly, I saw his clothes – coveralls, blue ones. My guess was auto mechanic. But the name on the chest was a slap to the face that, at one point, he'd been someone, a person. He'd been a man with friends, family, responsibilities.

_Tom._

Poor Tom had gotten up to go to work one morning. He'd left his family, maybe even kissed his wife and kids goodbye for the day. And then everything went to hell.

"Sorry, Tom," I muttered, setting the arrow loose. It hit the middle of his forehead with a dull thunk. He fell to the forest floor in a heap, and I reached down to pull the arrow free. Holding it up, I looked to Dad. "Good idea."

He nodded but then studied me for a moment. If he thought to say something, he let it go. Finally, he spoke up. "Well, Alice has potatoes and onions. We should be able to make something with these." He held up our two rabbits.

"Good." I spun on my heel, heading back to the house, and I stayed quiet the whole way back, grateful that we didn't run into any more zekes along the way.

My mother and Rose were manning the fire when we walked up, but Rose's fiery gaze landed on her sister.

"What the hell, Tanya? You scared me to death. You don't go anywhere without telling me!"

"I was with Carlisle and Edward," she argued, pointing to Emmett. "Emmett knew! I'm not stupid, Rosie! I'm not just gonna run off."

Rose's gaze landed on me, but I raised my hands. "My bad. Shoulda told you."

"You're damn right."

"Hey!" I snapped. "Relax. We're all on the same side here. She's safe with me, us…all of us."

Rose sighed, her eyes closing. "I know. I _know_!" She rubbed her face, roughly. "Sorry…I just…"

"Panicked. Yeah, I get that. If it had been my kid, I'd have lost my shit, too," I told her, leaning the crossbow against the picnic table. "At least you can _see_ that she's okay, right?"

"Edward, I'm…" Rose started, grimacing a little.

"Don't. Just…don't." I walked away, stepping up onto the porch and into the house. It was time to get ready to pull out in the morning, so aside from a change of clothes, I packed up my gear in the room I'd been sleeping in the last two nights.

"You okay?" I heard behind me, and I turned to see Alice standing in the doorway. I could see that my mother had trimmed her hair up into something not so choppy. Nodding, I turned back to my duffel. "Fine. We're pulling out in the morning, so you might want to get ready. We'll lock this place up as best we can, so you can…"

"I'm ready. I've been ready for like two years," she said with a humorless laugh. "I doubt I'll ever come back here. I didn't exactly fit in with the farm life, ya know?"

Smirking, I nodded again, zipping the bag up and dropping it to the floor.

"I overheard…outside," she said softly, her gaze shifting around to everywhere but me. "You have a kid?"

"Yeah, a son. Freddie."

"Married?" she asked, and my eyes narrowed in on the light blush that bloomed on her cheeks as her gaze fell to my left hand.

"Yes. We've been married for eight years, together two before that. My son turned seven just before all this…" I waved a hand around, but she nodded in understanding.

"What's her name?"

"Bella…short for Isabella."

She smiled, though it didn't last long. "Pretty."

I snorted a little. "It fits her, trust me."

"Do you think…"

"I try very hard _not_ to think about what they're going through, Alice." My voice was firm, almost blunt, but I meant it. It was the blatant fucking truth. "When I _think_, I let my guard down. When I _think_, my imagination shows me a world that I honestly don't want to live in. I'm thirty-three, but I have no desire to start over should something happen to them, especially with the way shit is now."

"That's a sad outlook."

"But it's _my_ outlook."

"Did you know? Like the second you saw her?"

Laughing, I shook my head. "No. We were in school the first time I saw her. It was well after I'd left school and joined the Army that I saw her again. _Then_ I knew."

"Why the two years?"

Frowning, I shrugged. "I did a tour overseas. Afghanistan. We were married before I was sent back over. That time, Iraq."

"You were lucky to have come home twice," she stated.

"I was. I'd promised her. And I promised her this time, too. I plan on keeping that promise."

Alice's face fell a little, and I chose to ignore it. I could see where the line of questioning had been going. I could see it in her body language, hear it in her tone, and feel it in the way she looked at me.

Bella used to tease me all the fucking time about breaking hearts around the world, which I always said was bullshit. Hell, we'd had that conversation the night I asked her to marry me, which had been spur of the moment and slightly panicked, but perfect all the same. My Bella used to laugh at me when I couldn't see the women she'd point out, the ones she claimed were "eye-fucking" me, but I saw it. I'd always seen it. It just didn't matter. It hadn't mattered since the day she'd poured me that first beer in Shelly's Bar.

Rubbing my face roughly with my hands, I sighed wearily. God, I just fucking missed my girl. I missed her laugh, her sweet kisses, her arms around me. I missed Sunday mornings when she'd make pancakes for Freddie and me. I missed nights when all three of us were cuddled on the couch, wrapped up in a blanket as we watched whatever cartoon Freddie was obsessed with that week. I missed messy bathrooms, stepping on toys, and hugs when I'd leave for base. I missed tucking my son in at night and making love to my wife when he'd finally crash. I'd give anything to hear her yell about muddy boots or dishes left in the sink or hear Freddie whine when he didn't want broccoli.

"I need some air," I finally said to her, breezing by her in the hallway and rumbling down the stairs.

As pretty as Alice was, and as nice as she seemed to be, I only had eyes for one girl, and I wasn't the type of guy to exploit shit. Again, I was reminded of the night I'd begged Bella to be my wife.

I found my mother sitting at the picnic table. The map was folded, and she was cleaning a few guns. Sitting across from her and cracking my knuckles, I reached to my waistband and pulled out my .45 to do the same, simply to have something to do.

"You have a problem," she stated quietly out of the damn blue, but when I looked at her, her eyes were locked on Alice, who was coming out of the house.

"No, I really don't."

Mom laughed lightly. "You're so like your father. Blind and stubborn."

"Oh, I know what's up, but I don't consider it a problem."

Mom smirked, shot me a wink, but stayed quiet. We were a lot alike. She knew when silence was better than talking shit out.

As we stayed busy, I gave myself a few minutes to just…think, to remember. My heart ached to revel in my family, but it hurt at the same time. But for just a moment, I wanted to relive the good stuff.

**~oOo~**

_**Forks, WA**_

_**Eight years prior…**_

_My heart was in my throat as I ran up the steps of Charlie Swan's home. I knocked with one hand and gripped my hair in the other. I grimaced at the fact that I hadn't even changed out of my T-shirt and cargos when I'd left Fort Warner. We'd been running drills all day until we'd been called to a meeting. Though, it was still damn early in the morning._

_The door swung open to reveal Bella's dad, who had given his daughter just about all his features – dark hair and eyes and a calm confidence._

"_Charlie, sir," I greeted with a smile._

"_Edward! It's good to see you, son," he said, nodding once and reaching for my hand. "You're early, I think. You may send our girl into a frenzy."_

_Grinning, I nodded. "Sorry. I was relieved ahead of schedule."_

_He patted my shoulder, his mustache twitching into a smirk. "And you ran like the wind. I understand. How're your parents?"_

"_Good, sir. They're both still at the Naval Hospital."_

"_Tell them I said hello, would'ja?" he asked, but we both looked up when light steps rushed down the stairs._

"_Edward!" Bella squealed, beaming like the sunniest of days. "You're early!"_

_She was off the bottom step and into my arms before either of us really could think, which caused Charlie to chuckle and mutter to himself about being wrong. He was a good man, firm and quiet but kind. When I'd finally spoken to him of Jacob Black, he'd thanked me and told me he'd threatened the boy's life…and freedom. Apparently, he'd almost arrested Black. On what charges, I had no idea. Maybe drunk in public. He'd told me that the only thing that stopped him was Jacob's dad – Billy had promised to handle the situation. It worked for the most part, but occasionally, we'd run into the bastard in a store or the diner or someplace in town, and he'd act like an asshole all over again. Mostly verbal, but I was pretty sure he remembered me putting him on his ass. I'd do it again, if needed._

"_I've been given a few days leave," I told her, setting her on her feet as I swallowed back my panic. "I needed to talk to you, Shortcake."_

_She smiled and nodded, taking my hand. "C'mon into the kitchen. There's coffee. Want some, Dad?" she asked him, and I smiled at the way she took care of him, even when he acted like he didn't want her to fuss._

"_Oh, I'm good, baby girl." He picked his mug up off the table and took a sip before handing her the cup. "I've got to head into the station anyway. You two have a good day."_

"_Sir." I nodded once, shaking his hand again._

_Bella tugged my other hand, letting go once we were in the kitchen. She rinsed out her dad's cup to pour coffee for herself, asking, "Want some?" _

"_Please."_

_I sat down at the kitchen table, cracking my knuckles nervously and thanking her when she handed me a mug. Once she sat across from me, I just looked at her. Jesus, she was beautiful. Even dressed casually at home in shorts and a T-shirt – though, it was my Army T-shirt – she was just gorgeous. The morning sun beamed in the kitchen window, showing off reddish highlights just a touch darker than my own. Her skin was creamy, smooth, free of makeup, but Bella didn't need makeup. It was those dark-brown eyes I took in last. They were sweet, sharp, and still a touch sleepy, but she looked at me with love and trust and just…everything._

"_I love you," I blurted out, smiling when she laughed lightly. "I do."_

"_Love you, too, baby." She got up from her chair and sat crossways in my lap, kissing my lips softly. "Now, you look upset about something. Wanna tell me about it?"_

_Abandoning my coffee, I chose to wrap my arms around her, kissing her shoulder, then her cheek. It was so damn easy with her. It had been since the beginning. Even going overseas had been tolerable, simply because her words, her voice, her beautiful pictures had come with me. They'd been the beacon of light at the end of a long, scary tunnel. That thought made me sigh. I inhaled the scent of her, closing my eyes at how fucking awful this could go._

"_Edward, you're scaring me…" she whispered._

"_I'm scaring me, too," I mumbled against her cheek, only to pull back and cup her face. "I have… I got new orders this morning."_

_My heart broke at the color that drained from her sweet face._

"_Where?" she barely uttered aloud._

"_Iraq."_

_The word hung in the room like a fog for a moment, and I saw her steel herself, saw her determination to get through it settle over her. She nodded as her eyes lifted from my dog tags that she was playing with up to my face._

"_How long?"_

"_Probably like last time. Six or seven months," I answered her as honestly as I could._

_She let out a long breath, swallowing nervously, but she smiled and cupped my face. "Okay, we'll get through it like last time. When do you leave?"_

_I smiled at her bravery. I wasn't buying a bit of it, but she was my amazing girl giving it her best shot. "Next week."_

"_Are you on leave until then? Like last time? You know, to get your stuff in order?"_

"_Mmhm," I hummed, finally pulling her to me and hugging her tight._

_I closed my eyes at the feelings that washed over me. She was it for me. She was home and happiness and comfort all rolled up into one beautiful, petite brunette package. At twenty-four, almost twenty-five, I knew what I wanted. Her. That was it. Suddenly, the thought of leaving her was unbearable. And the thought of leaving her and not coming back was fucking torture. I wanted to take care of her, love her for the rest of my life. I knew it as well as I knew my own damn name._

"_Marry me," I blurted out, smiling when she gasped and pulled back to look at me. "Marry me. Marry me before I leave so I can take care of you, even when I'm gone. You…You're almost finished with school, but you could take more classes if you wanted, or take your time finding the job you want. You could stay here safe with Charlie and only work for Shelly when you want to, but you… Fuck, Bella, you're it for me. Marry me, and I'll come back and really take care of you."_

_Her face was incredulous, but ridiculously adorable. "You want to marry me _before_ you leave?!"_

"_Yes! I know… I know it sounds insane, but I mean it, Shortcake. You're all I want." I shrugged, not knowing what else to say. "I did this all wrong, I know. I don't even have a ring, but I didn't exactly plan this shit."_

_Her giggle was like music. "Okay…yes!"_

_My eyes widened, and my heart stopped, only to sputter into racing beats. "Yeah?"_

"_Yes," she said firmly, nodding that beautiful head of hers._

_Suddenly, I felt guilty, and I held her face in my hands as I kissed her until we both needed air. "I can't… I can't give you the big wedding, but we can… I mean, when I come home…" I kissed her again. "I _will_ come home to you."_

"_You can't make that promise, and I don't need a big wedding, Edward. I just want you to be safe over there, okay?"_

_Smiling, I nodded. "With you…as my_ wife_…I can do anything."_

_She squeaked, grinning and shifting on my lap until she was straddling me. "I like that."_

_I began to laugh as my head fell back, but it all turned into a hum when her warm lips pressed to my throat in a smiling kiss. "Me, too, Shortcake…"_

_We lost ourselves for a second, right there in her dad's kitchen. Long, deep, claiming kisses left me wanting her with a fire in my belly and a pressure in my cargos_,_ which she shamelessly rubbed against. My hands searched out skin and ticklish places that usually made her moan sexily, and I wasn't disappointed. The sounds she emitted were amazing and more of a turn-on for me than skimpy lingerie. Before shit really got out of hand, I pulled back, sweeping my lips over hers softly, smiling when her forehead thumped to mine._

"_We should just…do this. Courthouse…like now."_

_Her laugh made me smile. "I agree, but I want my dad there…and your parents. And don't you want Emmett and Jasper there?"_

_Wrinkling my nose, I nodded. "I do, but I don't want to waste this week, baby. I want to go to the cabin once we're married."_

_She smiled. "Yeah, definitely."_

_That smile was easy and sexy and all mine, making my hands skim down her back and into her shorts as I cupped her ass. Fuck me, she had a sweet ass – in and out of whatever she was wearing._

"_But for now…"_

"_But for now, you're gonna take me up to my room, Mr. Cullen," she commanded, laughing when I stood up from the table._

_I kept her in my arms as she wrapped her legs around my waist. "Charlie will kill me."_

"_He's at the station. Just love me, Edward."_

_I was stupidly happy that she wanted to marry me. My laugh and teasing couldn't be contained, even with my approaching tour of duty overseas. If I had Bella, I'd do anything to get back to her._

_We made love more than once in her bed. The first time was silly and playful, with tickles and grins, teasing about hearts breaking everywhere, but the second time was intense, with a realization of what was ahead – a huge step for us, and my leaving. When we came together, it was eye to eye, at the same time, and with emotions swirling. I didn't want her to cry, but she wasn't the only one that felt the pull, the fear, and I held her until we were both calmer and could talk details._

_We wanted the courthouse and a few days at the cabin at Blackwood Lake. We wanted a few days of just us. When we finally came up for air, we called Charlie and my family. They were surprised at the rush of it but happy for us nonetheless. However, in order to have all of them there, we had to forgo a real, true honeymoon. Instead, we spent our first night as husband and wife at a hotel just outside of Seattle, barely leaving the bed._

~oOo~

I came out of that memory with a gasp when someone handed me a bowl. Reality blurred back into clarity, and I took the rabbit stew with a small smile at Rose, only to stare at my meal.

My vow to Bella before I'd left was that I'd give her the honeymoon we both had truly wanted when I came home, and it would be a graduation present for her at the same time. Those four days had been the best of my fucking life. As I gazed around at the people around me, at the reality of my situation, I shook my head, wishing for a time machine. I'd go back to that second honeymoon at Blackwood Lake and never come up for air.

I took a big bite of stew, which was damn good, smirking a little. It wasn't long after I'd come home from Iraq that Bella had gotten pregnant with Freddie.

Someone nudged my elbow, and I glanced over to see Rose watching me. She squeezed my arm. "I'm sorry, Edward. About before… I can't… I can't imagine what you're going through. When my parents died, they left Tanya in my care, so…I get a little overprotective."

I huffed a laugh, shaking my head. "No worries. You sound like Bella. She's the same way. She'd wrap our son in bubble wrap if she could."

Rose chuckled. "Oh, I can't wait to meet her."

Smiling, I took several more bites before standing up from the table. "I hope you get the chance."

**~oOo~**

_**Dodge City, Kansas**_

_Three months and two weeks after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

"It's best to go in on foot from here," I said, shutting off the engine of the old car we'd taken off the highway. I gazed around the rail yard that skirted the edge of the city. All seemed to be clear, but zekes could be anywhere.

We needed supplies – food, water, and maybe ammo, though the latter wasn't too bad. Emmett had gotten really damn good at using that Marine sword of his, and I tended to use the crossbow when we needed to stay silent. The other two with us, however, were better with guns than more up-close weapons.

"Rose, you and Emmett look for clothes, oil for the cars, and anything in the hardware stores that we may need. Alice and I will scope out food," I told them, getting out of the cab and reaching for my weapons in the bed of truck. "Water may have to wait until we get into Colorado, but I'll see what we can find."

Personally, I didn't want to split us up, but we needed to get into the city and out as quickly as possible. I also knew that Emmett wouldn't want Rose out of his sight, simply because they were growing closer and closer with every mile we traveled. And that left me with Alice.

The former farm-girl may have been a tiny thing – shorter than my Bella by at least a couple of inches – but she could handle a gun, and could move pretty damn fast when needed.

Unfortunately, being with Alice also meant brushing off starry-eyed stares and flirty smiles. Rose found it annoying, Emmett thought it was hilarious, and my mother's theory was that it was hero-worship, considering I'd saved her life at her house. Personally, I had no patience for it, but we had to work together, no matter what her misguided feelings were, and my parents were needed back at our camp to watch over Tanya. Sasha was with them. She was needed there more than with us, though I had become dependent on her help…and company, if I were being honest with myself. So Alice it was.

We walked together, stepping over train tracks, and I caught sight of a small building.

"Here," I stated to all of them, pointing to the shed-sized building. "Two hours, we'll meet right back here. No staying out in the open." I glanced up at the sky that was growing more and more purplish-gray by the minute. "And we picked a fucked-up time to come into a town, that's for damn sure."

As if to prove my point, thunder rolled long and low, and the temperature dropped with the breeze that blew through the train yard. Once that rain started to fall, any and all zekes would be even deadlier than they usually were.

We left the more industrial side of the city behind, getting closer and closer to town. The problem with cities any bigger than the little shit towns we'd been driving through was the population. More people meant more zekes. More people also meant assholes protecting the meager shit they had left. On the flip side of that, bigger cities also meant better opportunities for supplies, with chain stores and restaurants. Dodge City wasn't a metropolis, but it was a grid-like layout of houses upon houses, spread out over flat land. I could see a few of the infected wandering in and around doors and parking lots, but luckily, they were too far away to notice us.

It had been a long, hard road since we'd left Alice's farm. It had taken two full weeks to get through Arkansas and around Tulsa, though we'd been able to hunt for food a few times. We still had some of the canned goods that Alice had brought with her, but we needed more. There were seven of us now, so the food went quicker.

"Oh." I turned to Alice. "We need dog food."

She smiled and nodded, but her eyes were on our surroundings.

A major road loomed closer, and Emmett caught sight of it. "What'cha think old Wyatt Earp would think of his shit?" he asked, pointing to the Wyatt Earp Boulevard road sign and then the crawling fucker under a bus bench.

"Which one?" Alice asked softly. "If you're talking Kurt Russell's version in _Tombstone_, he'd probably kick ass and take names. If it's Kevin Costner's, then…we'd be fucked."

Rose snorted into a chuckle. "Only if we get Val Kilmer's Doc Holiday."

"No shit." I nodded, smiling in spite of the smell around us. The stench of zekes was growing stronger, as was the feel of impending rain. It made me fucking nervous, which proved valid the very second we stepped around the corner.

I'd never seen so many fucking zekes all in one place. They crowded the streets, sidewalks, and storefronts. It looked like a crowd waiting for a parade. The four of us froze mid-step, not one of us saying a word. Just as the front few caught sight of us, big fat raindrops splattered to the concrete in front of us.

"Oh, fucking hell," Emmett barely breathed aloud, giving me a side-glance. "We're gonna move in five seconds, and we're going in the back doors of these stores. No splitting up."

We all nodded, and the sky opened up like buckets of water being dumped out. The sound of pouring rain was overshadowed by the snarls and growls the zekes let loose. Our scent and the sight of us sent them into a collective stampede.

"Now!" I snapped, turning the first corner and aiming for the closest building. The back door was unlocked, so we rushed inside, slamming it closed behind us, just in time to feel the zekes pounding from the other side.

Alice reached by me, turning several deadbolt locks closed. "That will stall them for a moment."

Nodding, I pulled the crossbow around to my front. I'd had it strapped across my back, but we didn't know what was inside the building. Giving the place an assessing glance, it seemed we'd stumbled into a restaurant.

"Perfect," I sighed, jerking my chin as I held out bags. "This'll take longer, but we'll stick together. Take whatever food you can find."

We found a few really large cans of vegetables, a few sacks of rice, and several boxes of instant mashed potatoes. All would be put to use. Emmett hoisted the bag to his shoulder, approaching the swinging door from the kitchen to the dining room. He nudged it open slowly, peeking through the crack. He held up a hand, showing four fingers as he looked to me and pulled his sword out at the same time.

We silently told the girls to stay put and then pushed our way into the dining room. The zekes moved as one, already showing the increased strength and hearing the rain seemed to give them. Three men and one woman – the latter barely able to walk due to the broken ankle she was sporting. It was twisted and gnarled, and she limped my way, so I lifted the crossbow, taking her out. The other three reached for Emmett as I reloaded another arrow. He swung the sword in a wide arc, taking two, and I finished off the last one. My arrow lodged in his skull, essentially nailing him to the wall. Blood, black as pitch, decorated the wallpaper in a splash.

The large windows facing the street showed the rain coming down in almost sideways sheets, but it also showed a herd of zekes pounding on the glass.

"That glass ain't gonna hold. Ladies, we gotta move!" I ordered, taking back my arrows and pointing to the hallway off to the side.

Emmett pushed through a doorway, taking out a lingering zeke and aiming for the emergency exit. The sign warning about an alarm was ignored as he barreled through it. An old bell-type, battery-powered alarm started to ring, which was a blessing and a curse. It drew more zekes in, giving us a chance to cross to the next building, but a few saw us, following us right to the door.

Alice and Rose had no choice but to aim and fire, the gunfire louder than any alarm. Once we were inside, we barricaded the door with a desk, stepping slowly through a hallway and into the front of a store. It seemed to be a small gift shop, but we grabbed a few shirts, some lighters, and I stowed a bag of candy for Tanya in my bag.

I walked to the windows, nodding that the zekes still seemed drawn to the ringing bell next door, when my eyes landed on a building across the street.

"Em," I called softly, waving him forward. "What are the chances that anything's left?"

He studied the police outpost, not to mention the hunting store next to it. He wiped his sweat- and rain-covered face on the sleeve of his shirt, sighing wearily. "I don't know. If shit went to hell this quickly, we may find a few things."

Nodding, I gauged the odds of making it across the street, through the crowd of zekes still wandering the main strip, and getting inside safely. Going in the front was out, simply because we needed to keep the doors closed and locked, so the alleyway next to it was our only shot. My eyes landed on our saving grace: fire escape.

I spun in front of them. "Listen, we're gonna move and move fucking fast. We're not going in the front. You aim straight for the alley and up those stairs. Take out only the zekes in your way, only those that pose an immediate threat. There's no stopping all of them. Got me?"

The girls nodded, and Emmett watched the street as he slowly and silently turned the lock on the front door of the gift shop.

He shot a glance back. "I'll go first. Ed, take our six. On three… Three, two, one…" He yanked open the door, sword at the ready as he took out three zekes before he even stepped off the sidewalk. Alice was next, and she was so damn fast and small that she was able to duck and weave through a few, only shooting twice. Rose was next, and she cleared her way with four shots, and I followed right behind her, opting for my .45 instead of my crossbow, simply because I couldn't afford to leave arrows behind.

The metal steps of the fire escape squeaked and rattled under protest of our weight, but they held until we reached the rooftop.

The sound of a shotgun being engaged caused all of us to snap to attention. Rose's .45, along with my own, as well as Alice's rifle all aimed on instinct, cocked and at the ready. One gun versus three, not to mention a really large man with a long sword raised to remove the hands that held the gun, meant the odds were in our favor.

The shotgun lowered, and my adrenaline calmed just enough that I could see its owner for what he really was.

"Jesus Christ, he's a just a kid," I breathed, lowering my weapon just a little, though the girls didn't budge.

"Fuck, dude, you almost got your head chopped off," Emmett snapped, shaking his head, though I noticed he didn't lower the sword.

The boy couldn't have been more than eighteen, if he was a day. He had dark hair and blue-ish-green eyes that were wide with fear. He was just as soaked as the rest of us as we stood out in that pouring rain. But his eyes fell to Emmett's chest and then mine.

"Military? Are there more of you?"

I glanced down, seeing my dog tags through my wet T-shirt, but shook my head. "There is no more military, kid. Trust me," I told him, watching what little hope he'd built up fade away like smoke in the wind. "Are you alone?"

He shifted, his eyes glancing around.

"Dude, dude, dude… We're not here to fuck with you," Emmett soothed, finally dropping the sword to his side. "We just needed some supplies before we…" He rolled his eyes my way, wearing a smirk. "Before we got the hell out of Dodge."

The kid snorted, and the girls merely looked at Emmett with wry, blank stares.

"Really?" I asked, narrowing my eyes on him. "You've been waiting to use that since we decided to come here, haven't you?"

Emmett grinned, shrugging a shoulder.

"For fuck's sake…" I sighed, shaking my head and turning back to the boy. "We're not here to hurt anyone…"

"There's no one to hurt," he countered, wearing a dark expression. "I mean, there's a group of people using the zoo as a safe place, due to the fences and shit, but…" He shook his head. "They're pretty fucked up. I saw some women get assaulted, they've hoarded up most of the booze, and they're armed to the fucking teeth. I couldn't stay there. You go near there, and they'll take everything you've got." He pointed to the rooftop before wiping away the rain from his face. "I offered to come here for more ammo a few days ago, but I didn't go back. Let them think I got turned or something."

Rose's face softened, and she looked to me before asking, "What's your name?"

"Raymond Quincy, but everyone calls me Quinn."

"'Kay, Quinn," Rose greeted, telling the kid our names. "Is there anything left downstairs?"

He nodded, waving us on. "Yeah, and you can have it. The less those assholes have, the better. I'm not sure what's worse: the biters or the idiots in the damn zoo." He led us through the roof door and down into the store. "There's nothing in the police station. I busted a vending machine in order to eat the last few days. The hunting store…that's a different story. There's plenty of shit in here."

Stepping into the room was an ammo fucking dream, and I huffed a laugh to myself as I gazed around. "How in the fuck did this go untouched?"

Quinn smiled, pointing to the windows. "Bars. The owner closed this place up tighter than a frog's pussy…and that's water tight." He grinned at the girls' laughter but went on. "Anyway, he was like one of the first people to get…"

"Outta Dodge… See?! That shit works here," Emmett added, glancing up from the glass case.

"And already old," Alice sang, shaking her head.

"Whatever," Quinn said with a chuckle. "That street out there was a clusterfuck when everything truly went crazy, which happened to be at rush hour on a Friday afternoon. Most of these stores are untouched, simply because those dead assholes tend to crowd the street…like you so obviously found out. And you'll have a bitch of a time getting back the way you came."

"I know," I muttered, taking as many boxes of bullets I could get.

We raided the place, and Quinn stayed quiet, simply content to watch us. I was able to grab not only a bag of loose popcorn and oil that I'd promised Tanya, but a couple of bags of dog food. We took everything, from canteens to more arrows for the crossbow. Knives, guns, and flares also made it into bags. Even the girls were able to stock up on toilet paper and the feminine shit they needed, which caused Emmett to run away and me to roll my eyes at his idiocy. We'd have a bitch of a time carrying it, but we needed all of it.

"How many of you are there?" he asked once we'd set the bags down.

"Seven total," Emmett answered, turning a small propane tank over in his hands, only to reach for a bottle of kerosene on the shelf. He turned to me. "We could use these…" He pointed to the shelf of insulated bottles and then a rack of shirts. "Bombs. Small ones. Toss them at the zekes to clear the way."

"I've got something that'll help you," Quinn told us, waving us toward a back storage room, only…that wasn't the case when he opened the door. "These bad boys could get you out."

Stepping inside the door, I grinned at the small showroom of ATVs – four-wheelers, three-wheelers, and small trailers that could be pulled by the former. Fuel would have been my next question, but Quinn yanked up a tarp.

"Oh my fucking hell…" I turned to Emmett. "Fuel up the two four-wheelers, only take one trailer for all our shit, including those gas cans. Then, we need to put together a few bombs to use out in the street. Let's go."

We all broke to get to work, but Quinn's voice brought us up short.

"You'll need someone to guide you out of here." When we only stared at him, his true age came through – a nervous, scared kid. "My…family is gone. I…I don't want to go back to the zoo…and I'm… I can hunt and fish. I'll pull my weight, I swear. But…just don't…"

"Whoa…slow down, kid," Emmett said, smirking my way. "What'cha think, Ed?"

I sighed, running a hand through my still damp hair. "It's another mouth to feed, but another gun, too."

The human being, the _father_ in me knew I couldn't leave the kid behind, and the soldier knew that the more numbers we had, the safer we'd be, but we'd be taking responsibility for this kid. I also knew that his being a local meant he could skirt us around the zeke herd outside.

"You got any shit to bring?" I asked him, and he nodded fervently. "Go get it. Move your ass, because I want those doors up and open in two minutes. We're gonna haul ass out of here." Before he could leave the room, I stopped him. "And Quinn, you'll listen to us when we tell you something. I won't be responsible for you getting yourself killed. Got me?"

He swallowed nervously but nodded again. "Yeah, yeah…got it."

Once he was out of the room, Rose said, "Can't leave him." She shrugged, helping Alice pour kerosene into bottles and stuff soaked rags into the tops. "Wouldn't be right."

"You mean like how we didn't leave you behind," I teased her, ducking the empty bottle she tossed my way as Emmett and I attached a small trailer to the back of the four-wheeler.

"Why, yes, jackass. That's exactly what I meant."

Alice chuckled. "It's a new world now. You'd think that we'd be better than what he's describing at that zoo, but…apparently, this has still split us. Good humans versus bad humans."

"I guess that makes us the good guys," I grunted as I filled the trailer with all our bags and supplies.

No one said anything, but Quinn reappeared with a backpack and a guitar case, not to mention a garbage bag full of shit he'd pulled from the vending machine he'd mentioned earlier. He tossed it all in the trailer, getting in on top.

"I'll light those," he said, pointing to the bottles. "You just drive and turn when I tell you."

"All right," I agreed, straddling the seat and starting it up.

Rose started the other one, and Alice climbed in with Quinn. Both readied themselves with a bottle. Emmett stepped to the garage door, reaching down to lift it up. We were lucky that the back alley was empty, and as soon as Emmett straddled the seat behind Rose, we pulled out.

We were clear until we needed to cross Wyatt Earp Boulevard. Quinn called out right and left, guiding us through the back streets, but that main drag was a walking, stalking nightmare. Hundreds of zekes turned on us, feral and wild as the rain soaked us to the bone.

"Light 'em up!" I called over my shoulder, and two bottles flew over my head, smashing into the street. It caused a temporary wall of fire that blocked the zekes' way, not to mention that it set several on fire. "Fucking perfect," I murmured to myself as I watched the kerosene essentially stick to them and create a chain reaction of fire.

Quinn called more directions out, and I could finally breathe again when the rail yard loomed closer.

Turning to Rose, I yelled, "Fuck the car. Leave it. We'll stay on these back to camp. It's only a few miles anyway."

She nodded, grinning my way. "Race you."

With a laugh, I let her take the lead. I had too much weight holding me back, with the trailer and an extra passenger, though Emmett probably weighed what Quinn and Alice did combined…and then some. We skirted the edge of the highway in order to avoid the traffic jams, and I could see Rose's RV in the distance as the rain started to let up. We'd taken refuge in the parking lot of a rundown roadside diner. It didn't have shit in it, but it was shelter for a bit. Hopefully it had kept my parents, Tanya, and Sasha safe while we'd been gone. When all of the above stepped out the doors, I sighed a breath of relief, mentally calculating just how much farther we had to go – four or five more states, several hundred miles…and who knew what we'd run into along the way. At the rate we were going, we were looking at another month on the road…at least.

The only thing I knew for sure was that I wasn't stopping until I got to Blackwood Lake. The end of the damn world, the endless zekes, and the long drive…none of it was worrying me as much as finding my family.

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… And we add another member to the group. Quinn. **

**Okay…Questions: **

**1. How can electricity be off everywhere? Here's how I figure it (because everything I've read or watched concerning the end of days, the power's out)… the power plants/companies are run by humans, so if they get sick, don't show, or turn at work, then no one's there to do their job. It doesn't simply run itself, though I imagine it's pretty automated some places. But if equipment is damaged or destroyed, then stuff would break down. **

**NEXT… 2. How do zombies keep going and not completely decompose? Or could they starve? Who knows, since realistically and scientifically, the dead can't reanimate, despite what mania is out there… But my theory is that it's constant turnover of new turned bodies since there are millions of people on this planet. I suppose they could starve, but that's why they move in packs/herds to seek out food, which will eventually become a problem. My other theory is they become dormant unless stimulated, or in other words…they slow down or stop unless they hear, smell, see something they can eat, which is what happened just now in Dodge City. Add in the rain, and it's fun times for everyone. ;)**

**3. Saving/gathering people along the way isn't something they HAVE to do, but something that is the RIGHT thing to do. It proves beneficial, simply because there is safety in numbers, and more people means more help. There are downsides to that, such as food/transportation, but the human race would have to persevere somehow. **

**Last question… How long will this be?/Is the prologue the end? Answer… I'm not quite sure the length or number of chapters. And NO…the prologue is not the end. I've written 14 chapters of this fic, and I'm not done, so… take that as you will. If I had to GUESS…somewhere around the twenties in chapter length. I can't say much more than that.**

**We're back with Bella and Freddie on Thursday. Please check out FicSisters for the "From the Pre-Reader" thing they posted on **_**Rain Must Fall**_**. Pamela Stephenson (DrivingEdward) wrote some amazing things about this fic. I thank her and FicSisters for taking the time. The links are on my profile. Until Thursday… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N… You guys make me LOL. For real. The Alice crush thing… "Dude, it's **_**Edward.**_** Who wouldn't develop a crush?! I would!" Exactly. :D To answer the question…she's early twenties, so Edward's about 10 years older. **

**Ummm… I'm going to give this chapter a TISSUE WARNING. It's for many reasons. But it was advised by my pre-readers, as well. So…there you have it.**

**We're going to pick up with Bella and Freddie, so see me at the bottom…**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 7**

**BELLA**

_**Blackwood Lake, Washington**_

_Three months and three weeks after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

"That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!" Jasper praised, and I glanced up from the fish I was cleaning to watch him across the small lake with Freddie, who was beaming proudly. "Do it again," he told him, helping him steady the small-caliber rifle.

My boy followed every one of Jasper's instructions, from how to stand and aim, to the final shot. They were shooting at tin cans and bottles that Jasper had set up on the wooden posts of the partially built fence Jasper was working on when he could find the supplies. The pop of the gun rattled around the lake, as did the sound of glass breaking. Again, Freddie reminded me so much of Edward, with the fierce look of determination on his face, to the lazy, crooked smile he gave Jasper when he'd done well, to the cracking of his knuckles as he prepared for another shot – he was his father made over.

The noise was dangerous, but necessary. Jasper had put off teaching them until they drove him crazy. At least the rifles were only .22s, so the sound wasn't too bad. Plus, Jasper wasn't taking chances, keeping his crossbow within reach.

I smiled again when Freddie stepped back to allow Janie a turn at it, which made the woman next to me groan.

Chuckling, I glanced over at Angela. "You can say no."

"Hell no, I can't," she sighed, rolling her eyes at my laugh. "First of all, she's determined to learn. Second, as much as I hate to say this…she _needs_ to know." She took a deep breath and let it out. "God, I hate it, but the world has changed." Her nose wrinkled. "Her father would never have allowed it, but…he's not here, and I want her to be strong, able to defend herself. Ben had some antiquated ideas about women. It had started to become an issue between us. I wanted more for Janie than what I'd done."

Frowning over at her, I said, "There's absolutely nothing wrong with being a wife and mother. Not everyone works."

She snorted and nodded, finishing the fish in front of her before looking my way again. "No, there's not, and I'm very glad I got all that time with Janie, but there were times…"

I nodded in understanding. "Times when you wanted more?" I asked, and she nodded. "Edward never cared. He was a pretty big cheerleader when I was in college. In fact, he urged me to take more classes, if that's what I wanted. He always told me that even though he was too stubborn to go, it didn't mean he couldn't support me."

Angela grinned. "Stubborn?"

"On some things, yeah. As long as we were safe, happy, and healthy, Edward was content. If those things were threatened, then he'd break his neck to simply…_fix_ it." My eyes fell on Jacob walking across the camp. "And don't even get me started on his feelings concerning Jake."

Angela laughed lightly. "Well, Edward and I would get along just fine, then."

I snorted into a giggle that I couldn't stop, leaning into her. "Jesus, please don't judge me on my past boyfriend."

"Never!" she called out in hysterics.

Still laughing lightly, we went back to work. Billy had taken the kids fishing that morning, so there were plenty to clean, which meant everyone would eat well tonight.

Carol joined us, setting a bowl down. "Look what I found!" she claimed cheerfully. "Corn meal. I mixed in some spices, so it should taste good once we bread these guys."

We worked together, chatting about nothing in particular. Freddie's and Janie's laughter made us smile. Jasper's patience seemed endless, but I was pretty sure that ran in their family. Edward's parents, Carlisle and Esme, had always been calm and easygoing, and so was Edward. None of them seemed to panic in the heat of the moment.

My dad's cabin door opened, and Billy rolled out in his wheelchair, with Jacob pushing him. Seth followed close behind, and they all made their way to the table.

I smiled over at Billy once he situated himself at the table, leaning into his kiss to my cheek and ignoring his son.

"Bella," Jacob said, and I looked up at him. "Seth and I are going to check the traps we put out yesterday. If we've caught anything, we'll need to get it in so those walkers don't get it. Plus we caught sight of a few cabins on the ridge, so we're going to scope those out."

"You're not taking Seth," Sue called out from the lake. "He's got school work to do before Jack's next session. The world may have gone crazy, but he still needs math."

Seth looked like he was about to argue, but Jack stepped up with a smile. He reminded me so much of Carlisle. He was mellow and smart, determined to keep some sort of civility in the camp. He was always talking about books he'd read, his favorite eras in history, and possible solutions for how things had changed.

"I'll go with you, Jacob," he offered, shouldering his shotgun. "Besides, Seth seriously needs to work on his algebra."

Seth grumbled under his breath but sat down on the other side of Carol, who said, "I don't know, Jack. It's getting late in the day…"

"We'll be fine, sweetheart."

"Well, I want you back before dark. I'm not kidding, mister," she told him, and he agreed before kissing her cheek.

"Are you _sure_ you should go now? You'll be leaving us down two people," I pointed out.

"It'll be fine," Jacob assured, pointing toward Jasper. "Besides, Grizzly Adams is teaching the offspring how to shoot. Soon, he'll be killing these dead bastards like the rest of us. Won't _Daddy_ be proud?"

I bit my tongue, but Billy didn't.

"Jake, if I could walk, I'd punt your ass into that lake over yonder. You truly need to let the past go, which means Freddie and Jasper. Bells is right; you're leaving us weak should a pack come through."

"We could go first thing in the morning, Jacob," Jack offered.

"An hour…two at most, 'kay?" Jacob countered, shaking his head. "We'll be back before dark. I don't want to lose anything in those traps, and I'm hoping to find ammo in some of these old hunting cabins. What we really need to do is head up to Lake Crescent, but we don't have the numbers for that. This, I trust, you guys can handle."

His sarcasm was sharp, but he had a point. We needed ammo, and we couldn't afford to lose any future meals.

"Just…go, Jake." I sighed, waving him away. I looked to Jack. "Be careful."

"Will do, Bella," he agreed, and he turned to follow Jacob around the lake.

They stopped to speak to Jasper, whose face was not happy about the new turn of events, but he nodded before shaking his head and going back to Janie and Freddie.

"My apologies, Bella, for my son," Billy said softly.

I tsked, rolling my eyes. "You should stop doing that, Billy. It feels like you've been apologizing for him his whole life. He's said it, too, though now, I'm not sure he meant it. He's hated me a long time."

Billy laughed. "Hated you? Oh, no, sweet girl. He doesn't hate you. He's been kicking himself for well over ten years. He's pissed off at himself."

Grimacing, I shook my head, though it was amusing to see everyone interested in where this conversation was going. "We'd have been miserable, Billy. Jacob had problems being faithful."

"No, he had problems staying sober."

"Bullshit!" I snapped, glaring his way. "I've been drunk, Billy. I've been damn drunk while my husband was overseas, and not _one time_ did cheating enter my mind. So don't blame the alcohol; blame the man. Blame the man who laughed when I caught him with Jessica Stanley in the office of the garage, the one who practically stalked me at Shelly's Bar. He sent his friends in to watch me. And the only reason I met Edward was because your son showed up fall-down drunk when his buddies called him. They'd told him I was hitting on a guy at the bar. Which I was," I said with a grin to Angela. "Edward was too much to resist. Jake showed up, acting like an ass, and Edward put him on the floor."

Angela laughed, putting her hands together. "Dear Lord," she prayed dramatically, looking up to the sky above. "Please, _please_ let me see that event unfold again someday."

In her own way, Angela was also praying for Edward's safe return, but damn, she was funny. She'd quickly become one of the best friends I'd ever had. She was smart, calm, but knew how to lighten things up, and while she'd told me her marriage to Ben wasn't perfect, she was one hell of a mom.

I turned back to Billy, my amusement fading. "You're my dad's best friend, and I love and respect that, but your son is a different story. He does and says whatever he wants, no matter who it hurts. Alcohol or not, he has no one to blame but himself for the way his life turned out. Even now, with all this shit going on."

At the mention of my dad, an ancient sadness, laced with worry, etched over Billy's face. It was an unspoken thing between us. My dad had promised us he'd follow us to Blackwood Lake, but the longer time went on, the more we were convinced he wasn't coming, and that only made my worry for Edward spark into a raging inferno. To speak of "what if" was too hard for any one of us when it came to family we had left out there in the world.

I locked eyes with Billy, who merely said, "Your dad's tough."

Nodding, I said nothing and went back to work. Once the fish were cleaned, breaded, and ready to fry, I cleaned my hands off in the lake on the way over to see Jasper and the kids. I grinned at my son when he immediately started to ramble.

"Mom! Did'joo see? I took out three bottles and a can!" he gushed, rushing to me, and Jasper snatched the rifle out of his hands on the way by.

"I saw, buddy," I said, cupping his face until it squished. I kissed his forehead and then pooched lips, finally letting go. "You are a sharpshooter there, partner." Smirking, I tilted my head at him. "Smile, Freddie." When he did, I chuckled. "Well, looky there. Is that…a _loose tooth_?"

He nodded, wiggling it with his tongue. "Yuth," he said, his tongue causing him to lisp.

My heart ached at the steps my son was taking without Edward here to see it. He'd already lost the front top and bottom teeth, which Edward had seen, but now more were loose. He was growing by leaps and bounds every day, and he was changing and learning and doing things I wanted to share with his father. And it was killing me.

"Oh, ho!" Jasper sang, coming to stand with me. "Looks like the Tooth Fairy will be visiting soon." I could tell as soon as he said it, he regretted it. Not only was money a long lost thing, but the Tooth Fairy would've been Edward and me, and that wasn't possible either.

"I bet the Tooth Fairy's a zombie," Janie muttered, frowning down at her hands. "And Santa, too."

I met Jasper's gaze, and he mouthed, _Sorry._

Shaking my head, I let out a deep breath. "Oh, guys… Hey, I know a secret. I know that Santa and the Tooth Fairy are protected by magic, so they're safe. Don't you worry."

The kids looked at me like they didn't quite believe me but as if they _really_ wanted to. I was just about to tell them they needed to get cleaned up for dinner, but movement caught my eye just behind Jasper.

Glancing up, my heart stopped, but I pulled out my gun. "Jasper," I whispered, jerking my chin.

He reacted instantly, pushing Janie and Freddie toward me and rushing to the fence post, where his crossbow stood propped up. A dozen or so walkers stepped from the edge of the trees, and Jasper ran back to us. He handed the kids the rifles they'd been using.

"Get them to Carlisle's cabin. Now, Bella!" he ordered, pushing us until we started to run.

As we made our way around the side of the small lake, with the pack of walkers following us, screams and gunshots rang out by the cabins.

The pack was enormous, and it was coming in from the north and east sides of the lake clearing, which meant they were migrating in from Seattle and most likely the 101. I saw several stumble around from behind all the cabins, weaving their way toward Billy, Carol, Seth, and Angela. Seth was already firing away, doing his best to keep the circle from closing in on them. Billy had his shotgun, trying to move his wheelchair at the same time. If someone didn't help him, he'd be a sitting duck.

"We're leading more their way," I told Jasper, panting in fear and exertion.

"We don't have a choice. Move," he said, finally spinning to check behind us. He aimed his crossbow and released an arrow. I didn't need to look to know he'd hit his target. He then opted for the handgun strapped to his thigh. "Bella, get them in that cabin and down below. You can aim through the windows once they're safe. And take Billy with you!"

I left Jasper as he stopped to take a stand on the group on our tail, urging the kids up the embankment toward the table where we'd all been sitting. Seth was standing on top of the table, dropping his rifle and using a pistol. Two walkers reached for the kids, and I pointed, aimed, and took them both out, not bothering to slow down.

Carlisle's cabin was between mine and Jasper's, with mine being on the end. Carol was struggling with Billy's chair, the grass hindering her. He was aiming all around them, telling her to leave him, but she wouldn't. The wheel lodged in a muddy hole, almost launching Carol over Billy, and he spilled out of the chair. Four walkers moved in on them, and no amount of yelling or running would get me there quickly enough, though I aimed and fired anyway. I nailed two of them, one in the head and the other in the neck, which barely slowed it down. The other two fell on to Billy and Carol.

The sound of snarls, ripping flesh, and screams from Carol and Billy sent chills up my spine. I couldn't stop to help them, and I knew the second they were bitten that they were done.

"Seth! Angela!" I called, finally reaching the steps of Carlisle's cabin. Wrapping my arms around both kids, I lifted them to the porch. "You two, inside. Now!" I yelled, glancing back for Jasper, but he seemed to be holding his own as he fought the walkers around him.

Seth grabbed Angela's arm once he'd cleared a path to the cabin, pulling her with him, but his weapons were empty. She ran toward us and used a long knife to avoid a few, though her eyes widened when she looked my way.

Both kids screamed, a sound I'd never wanted to hear, and even less did I ever want to see my son raise a weapon, but he did. The walker had scrambled up the left side of the porch, pushing and crawling our way, and Freddie's hands shook, but he pulled the trigger, catching what used to be a woman in the jaw. It didn't stop her, but it damn well slowed her down. He chambered another round before I could aim at her myself, and then he pulled the trigger again. The woman's head split wide open at the temple, and she collapsed to the wooden porch floor.

Freddie froze, eyes wide and breathing heavy.

"Go, baby. Inside and down below. Take Janie. Go!" I reached for the door and slammed it open, then pushed both kids inside the cabin, only to pull the door closed again.

Angela and I rounded to face the camp. Jasper was pulling arrows from the dead, using the butt of his crossbow to smash skulls. Seth was struggling with a few down by the fire and table, using a large hunting knife. Sue was using a rifle off my dad's porch. I leaped off the porch, killing one that was reaching for Seth from behind. I also took out the bastard that was feasting on Carol and the three working on Billy.

Jasper finally rushed to us, reloading his crossbow. "I swear to God, Bella. What part of get _inside_ didn't you understand!?" he snapped, glaring my way before lodging an arrow at a walker ten feet away.

"The kids are safe…but Billy, Carol…" I rasped.

Jasper's face was pained, but he nodded. "There're maybe ten left," he panted, and he was covered in blood and chaos.

The remaining walkers were quickly taken care of, and I gave the camp one more long gaze before falling to my knees, my head falling forward.

"Bella," Angela called, and I jumped when she placed a hand on my back. "Sweetie…you gotta move away from them. Now."

Confusion must have been written all over my face when I looked up at her, but her eyes were on the ground. My stomach roiled at the sight in front of me. Carol's hands were twitching, her eyes fluttering. Billy was already on the move, his growl such a sharp contrast to the sweet man he'd once been that a sob ripped from me. His inability to walk followed him over, so he could only drag himself along the grass and through the mud.

Carol rolled over and had started to sit up when an arrow slammed into her temple. It had come from behind Angela and me, but I could only watch Billy. He'd been a man I'd known and loved my whole life, it seemed. He'd taken my side against his son more times than I could count.

My hands shook as I raised my weapon and aimed. Billy snarled, snapped, and continued to crawl my way.

"Bella…"

I heard Angela's voice somewhere behind me, and Jasper's joined her, but I knew Billy would hate what he'd become. With a wet sob, I pulled the trigger.

"No!" I heard behind me, knowing Jacob's voice anywhere, and just the sound of it sent me over the edge.

I stood up from the muddy ground, my eyes on him as he and Jack rushed to us. I couldn't focus on Jack's cry of heartache; my focus was Jacob.

"Was it worth it, Jake?" I asked, sneering at him. "Leaving us short? Was it?"

I knew it was unfair to blame him completely. And from the heavy bags he was toting, the run had been successful. But the entire camp was a warzone. There were bodies everywhere – some still moving. Jack's sobs finally made me break from Jacob's face, which was still in shock.

"Jack, you should know… She died trying to save Billy. He told her to leave him, but she wouldn't," I told him softly.

"Did you let them get at him, Bella? Is this some sort of revenge?" Jacob suddenly snapped, and Jasper moved before I could, the sound of fist meeting flesh echoing across the lake.

Jacob's tall frame crumbled, his knees landing heavily in the mud. Bags fell around him as he shook off the hit. Jasper grabbed the collar of his T-shirt as Seth and Angela tried to hold him back.

"You stupid son of a bitch!" Jasper snarled. "You weren't here, motherfucker! You have no idea. They came in on two sides of us!" He gestured wildly around to where the dead lay everywhere, only to ball up his fist again. "Blame her again. I fucking dare you," he warned Jacob. "I told you before you left not to go. I told you we were due, but you didn't fucking listen. You'll listen from now on, asshole, or I'll shoot you myself. Are we clear?"

Jake only nodded, sagging in defeat. Jasper loomed over him with no fear and more emotion in his face than I'd ever seen. It reminded me somewhat of Edward's face the night we'd met in Shelly's Bar. It had been Jake then, too. Rubbing my face, I could only focus on getting to Freddie.

Giving once last glance at Billy, I stood up, turning to Angela. "We need to burn these bodies. We'll use Edward's truck to make it easier. You know, just drive, load them up… I need to check on my son and Janie," I said, but my tone sounded empty to my own ears.

"Bella?" Jasper called tentatively.

Shaking my head, I walked toward Carlisle's cabin. Before opening the door, I shoved the body of the womanthat Freddie had shot off the porch with my foot. Though the gore was left behind, at least my son wouldn't have to look at her again.

I went inside, tapping on the door in the floor. "Guys, it's me." The lock disengaged, and I saw Janie's sweet face peering up at me. "Hey, you two okay?"

She nodded, holding her hands out, and I lifted her up and out, but she whispered, "He's…not talking."

"Okay," I whispered back, smiling her way. "It's pretty ugly out there, so if you want to hang out here, I'll understand."

"My mom okay?"

"Oh, yeah, Janie. She's fine, but…"

"I saw Billy and Miss Carol," she sighed, wearing a sad face.

Nodding, I cupped her face, only to slip down to the steps. I found Freddie sitting on the edge of the cot down there, his rifle leaning next to him, but he was staring down at the floor.

"Freddie?" I called, kneeling in front of him. "Buddy, you okay?"

He nodded, but when his eyes met mine, they were haunted, exhausted, and just plain scared. "I…I…"

"C'mere," I whispered, pulling him to my lap. "You didn't do anything wrong, baby. You were very, very brave."

"It…It was coming for us…you… I couldn't…and I was…" he rambled, his thin frame shivering in my arms.

"Freddie, you were protecting yourself…us. I promise, you did perfect," I soothed as he wrapped himself around me.

"I miss Daddy," he suddenly wailed, and tears welled up in my eyes at the pure pain I could hear in him. "I miss Daddy, and I couldn't let it get you, too."

The fact that he was calling him "Daddy" was not lost on me. He hadn't called Edward that since he'd started school, but at the moment, my baby was feeling everything all at once, and that included the absence of his father. He'd seen so much since the beginning – loss of life, grotesque things, and the upheaval of everything he knew.

Without saying anything, I stood up, keeping him in my arms. Holding him with one hand, I picked up his rifle and ascended the steps. Janie was still there when I came up, and she was sweet enough to take the rifle and close the trap door for me. I made my way outside and down the steps.

"Bella?" Jasper rushed to me. "He okay? Is he hurt?"

"No, he'll be fine," I told him, smiling sadly, but I couldn't hide my tears. Not this time.

I took Freddie into our cabin, opting for his room. I sat down on his bed, hoping he'd lie down, but he was content on my lap, so I leaned back against the wall.

"I love you, Freddie, and your daddy would be _so proud_ of you," I told him honestly, and when he pulled his face from my neck, I smiled a little. "He would be, you know. He always used to tease me that I'd put you in football pads just to go to the grocery store if I could get away with it." I grinned when Freddie sniffled and giggled a little at the same time. "It's true. I never wanted anything to happen to you. You bumped your head once when you were just two, and I about went crazy, drove all the way to Grandpa Carlisle's so he could look at you.

"Your dad, however, laughed at me. He told me that you were a boy and that I'd better get used to bumps, scrapes, and bruises, that you'd get them every day just because…" I pinched his chin gently between my thumb and forefinger. "What you did… He'd be proud of you because there's absolutely nothing wrong with protecting those people you love, Freddie. Nothing. These are scary, ugly times, and I hate that you're seeing it, but it's the truth, the reality that surrounds us."

"I've…started to…forget what he looks like."

Tears ran unchecked down my face, but I nodded, reaching for his scrapbook. "Here, sweetheart."

I flipped past the news articles, aiming for the things he'd posted in there toward the back. I bypassed ticket stubs and stuff from the zoo in Seattle, finally finding the picture I wanted. It was of the three of us, with silly smiles and happy eyes. It had been taken on my phone, but I'd printed it at the kiosk at the drug store. Edward was in his camo, and Freddie absolutely _had_ to match him.

"Here, Freddie." I tapped the picture. "This… This is where you came from. Never, ever forget that. Don't you dare forget that we love you so much, that you came from that love."

Freddie reached out and ripped the picture from the scrapbook, holding it in his hands. I let him have a moment, and my eyes drifted to Edward's old dog tags. Freddie had even left the chain attached. For almost a year, Freddie had worn them, wanting to be just like Edward.

"I miss him, too, Freddie," I whispered, nodding when my son turned my way. "So…what do we do about that? I'm kinda running on blind, stupid faith here, buddy. I want to believe he's out there coming for us, that he's fighting, but…every day gets harder and harder. I'm just being honest here, kiddo."

Freddie pointed to the poem on the opposite page. "Be still, sad heart," he read, nodding a little. "Behind the clouds is the sun still shining…"

Smiling, I kissed his cheek. "Do you have any idea how many times your dad has said that to me?"

He grinned, swiping at his face. "Lots?"

"Tons."

He reached down and pulled the dog tags from the page, tossing away the tape that held it. Straightening the chain, he lifted it over my head.

"He'd want us to keep fighting," he said wisely. "He'd tell us it won't always be so bad."

Staring at my beautiful, smart son, I nodded. "You're right, he would."

"And he promised."

"He did, baby, but…"

"I'm not dumb, Mom. I know what could happen. I just think he'd be mad if we gave up."

Grinning, I broke into a chuckle. "A little bit, yeah." We stared at each other for a moment, and I sighed, running my hands through his hair. "So…we hang on?" He nodded, folding that picture of us and tucking it into the pocket of his jeans. "You know those hugs you promised?"

He nodded, falling back into my arms, and I wrapped him up tight but curled up on my side in the bed. I closed my eyes, taking a minute to simply hold my son. The fact that he'd quoted Edward's poem to me brought memories flying to the surface of my mind.

God, I just missed my husband. I missed the silly things he'd say and do just to hear Freddie and me laugh. I missed pancakes on Sunday mornings, messy bathrooms, and cartoon marathons on the couch. I missed being able to let out everything that was stressing me out, only to have him smile at me, lift me in a hug, and kiss me stupid. And as much as everyone was doing their damnedest to keep us safe, it came nowhere near how Edward made me feel.

Freddie's fingers twirled a lock of my hair from my ponytail, and slowly, reality blurred away.

**~oOo~**

_**Blackwood Lake, Washington**_

_**Eight and a half years prior…**_

"_Let me see you," Edward whispered, pulling me into the bedroom of the cabin. He sat on the edge of the bed, situating me to stand between his legs. "I just wanna look at you, Shortcake."_

"_You've looked enough already," I teased him, squealing when his long fingers dug into my sides, tickling without mercy. "Edward! Stop!" I begged in a fit of giggles, trying to get away, but he merely tossed me on the bed and pinned me with his body._

_His smile was glorious and a sight for sore eyes. He'd barely been home long enough to drive to my house, much less come straight to the cabin. Our long-awaited honeymoon was officially here, not to mention he was home safe from his last tour and I'd just finished my last class._

_My breathing was heavy, but his eyes made my heart race faster. They raked all over my face, as if he was memorizing it. Finally, he looked to my left hand._

"_You got it sized okay?" he asked softly, kissing the ring from the palm side._

"_Yeah, like a week after you left," I said with a nod, looking at his ring next to it as he threaded our fingers together._

_The rings matched and had been bought the day of our quick wedding. They weren't fancy, nor were they all that expensive in the great big scheme of things, but they meant everything to us. We'd picked them out together, though Edward had promised me diamonds later. I didn't care. Just having something that said we belonged to each other meant the world to me. The simple bands matched his emotional and spur-of-the-moment proposal and the quick courthouse wedding with just our family in attendance. I loved it all, everything about it._

"_What's making you smile so pretty, Bella?" he asked me in a sing-song voice as he bent to my neck to press kisses to my skin. It was soft and sexy and soothing all at once._

"_You're home safe. I'm done with college. We can…truly start…just us."_

_He grinned and nodded at my throat, not even bothering to pull away. With every kiss, he spoke softly against flesh, making me want him with each push of breath along my neck. "Be still, sad heart," he quoted, lips dragging and tongue tasting. "Behind the clouds is the sun still shining." Pushing himself up a little, he gazed down at me. "I told you, Shortcake, the bad times, the hard times don't last forever. They may seem like it, but the rain stops eventually."_

_I cupped his handsome face. "I love you."_

_His smile said it back without the words. "I want everything with you, Bella," he said instead. "All of it. The house, the kids…the dog."_

_Laughing, I nodded. He'd said it before, in letters while he was gone and on the rare phone calls he'd been able to make while in Iraq. Now that we were married, he had no shame in stating it over and over._

"_Me, too. Dog?"_

_He chuckled sexily, kissing my lips, the tip of my nose, and forehead. "Maybe. Just…keep an open mind, Shortcake." He kissed my lips again. "I've put in for a more permanent position at the base, baby, so if you want that house you told me about...the one in your dad's neighborhood, then we'll talk about it, okay?"_

"_No more overseas?" I asked him, my mouth hanging open._

"_I can't promise that, but the likelihood is slimmer now, Bella. You know there's always a possibility, but since we've gone over twice…" He shrugged, grimacing I was guessing because he couldn't promise me something. _

"_I'll take what I can get."_

_He laughed, his head falling to my chest. "God, I'd give you anything, Bella. I owe Jasper my life for stopping for that beer…"_

_Giggling, my head pressed into the pillow behind me. "Maybe we owe Jacob for acting like an ass…"_

"_Don't remind me," he growled low, skimming his nose along my cheek. "I could've killed that fucker that night for daring to touch you when you'd said no. Besides, he'd interrupted me asking you out…"_

"_Moot point, Edward," I said haughtily, wiggling my fingers at him before raking them through his hair. "Wife."_

"_Fuck, that sounds so sexy," he purred, his eyes darkening to the point that the pretty green almost disappeared. "Which brings us around to the real point…why we're here…in this bed…for four whole fucking days…"_

"_What point?" I teased, biting my lip and laughing lightly, but he chose that moment to grind into me, so my laugh broke off into a long moan. "Oh my God, I've missed you."_

_His kiss was searing and almost harsh but filled with love and need. It was claiming and all consuming, showing me that he'd missed me, too. It seemed we couldn't get close enough or naked enough to be able to truly feel. But when he finally slipped inside me, I finally felt safe, finally felt at home._

**~oOo~**

"Freddie? Bella?" I heard through the foggy curtain of sleep. When I cracked an eye open, it was dark in Freddie's room, but Jasper knelt beside the bed with a lantern. "I brought you guys some dinner," he said, and Freddie shifted from my arms.

"Gosh, Freddie," I said through a wide yawn. "We kinda crashed out, huh?"

He nodded, rubbing his face, but sat up to face Jasper, who was handing him a plate.

"We were lucky that Carol had covered the fish," he said softly, grimacing a little.

"What time is it?" I asked, but gasped. "Oh, I was gonna help with clean up…"

"Don't sweat it, Bells," he said, handing me a plate as well, and he reached out to brush my hair from my face in a gesture that was too familiar, so I pulled away a little. "It's done. And we um… We buried Carol and Billy in that open spot on the bank."

My eyes were already scratchy from crying earlier with Freddie, so the tears simply burned my eyes, but I nodded, poking at the fish with my fork. Jasper's rough hand covered mine, urging me to eat, a calloused thumb rubbing across my knuckles. When I looked to his face, his eyes were locked on to the dog tags Freddie had put one me, which were still around my quickly pulled away and rubbed his face, but his expression was unreadable when he met my gaze with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"How's Jacob handling it?"

"The black eye I gave him or Billy?"

"Yeah, sure…"

"You gave Jake a black eye?!" Freddie gasped through a mouthful of food.

"Chew!" Jasper chuckled but looked to me. "He helped with clean up and then with the graves, but then he's been holed up in your dad's cabin ever since."

Nodding, I ate without saying much, and I didn't want to see what was happening with Jasper. I loved him as family…like a big brother, but I could see where things could become muddy. We'd grown closer, for sure, but I ignored the new looks, the easy touches, and the overprotectiveness that Jasper hadn't always had. My heart, my mind, my soul was still with Edward – wherever that may be – and I knew that would never change. I didn't think I'd ever feel like I could see another man the way I felt about Edward, and I hoped Jasper wouldn't push that.

I finished my food, kissing Freddie's head. "You better now, buddy?" I asked him, and he nodded.

Jasper watched us closely, taking our plates, but he nudged my son. "I heard what you did, Freddie. Taking out that walker to protect your mom and Janie? Dude, that's some big-time brave stuff. You okay?"

Freddie looked to me but smiled back at Jasper. "Yeah, I'm okay. I did everything you told me to," he said proudly.

Jasper grinned. "Thatta boy!" he praised, ruffling his hair.

We both laughed at Freddie when he ran his fingers through it trying to fix it. He rolled his eyes at us but cracked his knuckles. He was Edward's clone in that moment, and I loved him with a sickness. I knew Jasper saw it, too, because he sighed deeply.

"C'mon, you two," he said, standing up. "We're gonna need to sort some stuff out after today's events."

The front door of the cabin slammed open, and Angela rushed to Freddie's doorway. "Aw, hell, guys… We got headlights coming up the road. We need you out here."

"Shit," Jasper hissed, setting the plates down on the nightstand.

We ran out of the cabin to meet up with Seth, Jack, and Janie at the table and fire. The pit was burning low inside the high wall Jasper and Jack had built around it.

Seth handed me my gun, which was fully loaded, as Jasper snatched up his crossbow. We were all on edge as headlights bounced in from the long drive. Jacob was still absent, but I didn't expect him anytime soon.

"Freddie, I want you and Janie inside Grandpa Carlisle's cabin. You wait until I come get you. This is different than walkers, buddy, so don't argue. Okay?" I asked him, but he took his rifle with him anyway.

Once the door closed behind the kids, Jasper stood next to me. "We'll stand our ground, Bella. Just like the ones from the trip up here, we won't back down or give up what we've been able to salvage. Got me?"

We had about a minute or two before the vehicles would reach the camp, but we jumped when a slam echoed behind us. My eyes narrowed on Jacob, who was swaying on the front porch of my dad's cabin.

"Jesus, is he drunk?" I asked, my eyes falling to his hand where a half-empty bottle of liquor sloshed. "Where the hell…"

"Fuck me to tears," Jasper hissed under his breath. "You know, the bastard could've shared."

Snorting, I smacked at him, but I knew what drunk Jacob could be like. If he was an asshole stone-cold sober, he was even worse when he'd been drinking.

"Oh, look!" Jacob sang with a laugh. "We've got company!"

"I've got him," Jack stated, keeping his shotgun draped across his shoulder as he walked to Jacob.

"Can't we just…shoot him?" Angela muttered.

"Tempting, but no," I sighed, shaking my head facing the road again. "Hopefully, Jack can stuff him in a closet until this is over."

Two pickup trucks and two large RVs pulled into the lake's clearing. Angela, Seth, Jasper, and I all stood with weapons at the ready. I could still hear Jack trying to persuade Jacob to go inside or give up the bottle, but I was pretty sure neither would be happening.

The door to the pickup opened and slammed, but I couldn't see beyond the bright headlights, just silhouettes of a tall form.

Jasper engaged the shotgun in his hand. "Hold it right there, asshole. That's far enough. What'choo want?"

The legs stopped in mid-stride, but I heard footsteps behind me, and suddenly, Jacob had me spun around, his grip hard on my arm.

"Jacob, you need to let go," I hissed at him. "If you can't tell, we've got a bit of a situation here."

"I gotta know, Bella… Did you? Did you let them at my dad on purpose?!" he yelled. "_Did you let them kill my dad_?" he yelled in my face, and he was pure whiskey and anger and grief.

"Jake, let go of me," I growled, finally bringing my knee to his groin, hard and fast.

He doubled over, groaning and cursing me, but when he looked back at me, there was nothing but pure hate. The bottle in his hand smashed against the trunk of the tree next to him, but before anyone could react, he was pressed against the same tree, his neck in a firm grip.

"Jacob Black, I can't arrest you, but I can damn well tie you up to this tree to rot. Am I clear, son?"

My mouth fell open at the familiar voice and even the familiar threat. "D-Daddy?" I barely breathed aloud. "Dad?"

He turned to face me, and he looked exhausted and like he'd aged ten years, but he was the first true glimmer of hope I'd had in what seemed like forever.

"Jesus, Charlie," Jasper gasped.

"Yeah, sorry it took so long," Dad said, dropping Jacob to the ground, where he stayed in a heap.

"It doesn't matter," I sobbed, finally letting my guard down.

"Aw, baby girl, I'm sorry," he said, and I found myself in the best of hugs. "Baby, where's…where's Freddie?"

"He's okay, he's okay," I chanted, nodding to Angela that it was okay to let the kids out of Carlisle's cabin.

My dad gazed around, signaling to someone behind me, but focused back on me. "Any… Um, Edward?" he asked, but I shook my head no.

"Not yet."

"Okay," he sighed, rubbing his face. "What's that fool babbling about?"

"We were attacked today. Huge pack came through. We lost Billy and Carol North while Jacob and Jack were off – at Jake's insistence – getting food from the traps.

"Aw, hell," he groaned, pulling me into a hug again. "I'm sorry, Bells. I tried to come sooner, but things got out of hand back at home. A pack came through, and somehow they got inside the nursing home… There was that and finding fuel to get here. I brought who was left."

He kissed the top of my head but turned me around. There were faces that I recognized, but some I didn't. All of them looked road-weary. If I had to guess, I would've said there were ten or twelve.

"We emptied Forks of supplies and made our way here. Took about a week, but… Those with the RVs will stay in those. Some will have to bunk up until we can figure out other arrangements, but… I couldn't leave them, Bella."

"No, no," I said, shaking my head. "Of course not. The more, the safer… I mean, we were struggling as it was."

Dad nodded but looked down when Freddie sneaked up on us.

"Oh God, Freddie!" He scooped my son up into his arms, and my tears started all over again.

"Grandpa Charlie… Have I got lots to tell _you_!"

If anything could break the emotional moment, it was that.

"Buddy, let me get these people safe and settled, and then I'm all yours," Dad promised, and I could tell his smile was wavering. There were emotions there that he'd never allow to surface, but I'd have been willing to bet he hadn't known exactly _what_ he'd find once he'd arrived to Blackwood Lake.

"Good, then you can stay with us!" Freddie commanded, and I actually agreed with him, nodding up at my dad.

"Please," was all I added.

He kissed my forehead. "You got it, kiddos."

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… So…Charlie was the character a lot of you were worried about, and I believe my firefighters were betting on. However, we did lose Billy and Carol. Another guess some of you had was that my original characters were like the red shirts of **_**Star Trek**_**…the disposable…and any book characters were safe. No. Not the case. Though there are a few untouchable characters in this fic, and you can probably guess those. ;)**

**We're going to stick with Bella and Freddie for the next chapter, simply because Charlie has his story to tell. Plus, you'll see who Charlie brought with him.**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N… Yes, Jake is an absolute idiot, an ass, a butthole (that one made me LOL), a jackass, and on and on… However, no amount of bribery or death ideas will change the fact that he's still around. You know, he's like that co-worker we all have, the one you can't stand, but you know if they weren't there, you'd be doing extra work. They aren't particularly likeable, but they're occasionally helpful… Yeah, that's Jake. And I have plans for him…though it's a helluva lot of fun to beat the shit out of him every now and then. ;)**

**Okay, we're sticking with Bella again. We'll see what Charlie has to say…**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 8**

**BELLA**

_**Blackwood Lake, Washington**_

_Three months and three weeks after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

Dreams were blurry swirls, then vivid colors and faces. My heart ached yet carried hope. I shifted, trying to grasp hold of reality and reaching for Freddie at the same time, only to come up empty.

Sighing, I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. It didn't take long to get dressed, considering I rarely undressed completely at night. It helped when emergencies popped up in the middle of the night. And my gun was never farther than arm's reach.

Stepping out onto the cabin's porch was surreal. There were new faces and now two large RVs parked along the side of the lake. I knew I needed to meet everyone, since the night before had been chaos. Between the pack of zombies that had come through, the loss of Billy and Carol, Jacob's drunken behavior, and my dad's arrival, everyone was just about to collapse under the weight of it all.

As promised, though, Dad had told the people that had come with him to settle in, keep watch, and that all introductions would be made the next morning. He'd then sat with Freddie for what seemed like hours, giving both of us his undivided attention. Only when Freddie was yawning every other word did Dad finally urge us to bed, opting for the sofa in my cabin for himself.

Glancing down at the wild flowers by the porch, I sighed, picking two small bouquets. Before I joined anyone for breakfast or started anything for the day, I needed to pay my respects.

I found two makeshift crosses up on the hill overlooking the lake. Jasper had picked a good spot to put them, with plenty of shade and sun throughout the day, pretty flowers on either side, and a stunning view of the entire camp. Kneeling between the two mounds of newly turned soil, I set the bouquets up against the crosses.

"You shouldn't wander off alone," I heard behind me, which made me smile, reach behind my back to my waistband, and set my gun beside me on the ground.

"I'm never alone, Dad," I said softly, turning when he sat beside me. "It's impossible here."

He was in jeans and a navy-blue Forks PD T-shirt that had been worn thin. Around his waist was his gun belt, along with a knife strapped to his thigh. I noted plenty of changes – scars along his arms, a new one slicing through his left eyebrow, and he was due a shave, but his mustache was still the most comforting thing on his face, not to mention the warm concern glaring back at me from eyes that matched my own.

Now that I could truly see him, I saw weariness and worry. "What the hell happened back in Forks, Dad?"

"You want to hear that now? Or meet everyone? I suppose Jasper needs to hear it, too," he surmised, rubbing his face.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," I muttered, looking back at the graves.

"You need a minute?"

I nodded a little, feeling a kiss to the side of my head. "We fought…Billy and I. Just before," I blurted out in a whisper, but Dad kissed my head again.

"About?"

I snorted, rolling my eyes up to his. "Who do you _think_? Jake, of course. He's been such a ray of sunshine this whole time, Dad; you have no idea." My sarcasm was sharp, making him smirk, but I turned back to the cross. "I told Billy to stop apologizing for his son, especially since his son left us down two people. And then…they came in…_so many_. There had to be fifty of them. From there…and there," I explained, pointing to the two sides of the lake from which the pack had emerged out of the woods.

"I tried really hard to get to them, to Billy and Carol, but they swarmed us. And Billy's chair got stuck…" I rambled, tears filling my eyes. "Dad, they _turned_. I had to put a bullet in your best friend!" I hissed, my hands balling up into fists. "I _knew_ he'd hate what he'd become, and he wasn't Billy anymore…but I put him down like a rabid dog. I've killed so many of these…these…_things_ that I barely bat an eye, but that?" I shook my head, swiping at my face. "And then…to watch my son raise a weapon to protect me…"

I found myself pulled to my feet and wrapped in a hug. "Isabella, stop. Don't torture yourself. You did everything you could. Don't think that Jack and Jasper haven't told me already. That Freddie hasn't told me. They have. You did all you could. Trust me, we're all doing our damnedest to get through."

Nodding, I sniffled, getting myself together and finally looking up at him. "I'm glad you're here."

"Well, getting here was a miracle," he countered, "and it took way longer than I'd imagined."

I took his hand and led him down the hill back toward camp. Several people milled about – some I thought I recognized from Forks, others were strangers, but one I'd recognize anywhere.

"Eric?" I called, smiling when the Korean man spun around. We'd attended high school together, but he'd been my father's youngest officer. He'd been a good friend in school.

"Bella," he sighed, walking to me and hugging me. "God, you have no idea how happy I am that you and Freddie are okay. For…you know…Grumpy's sake." He jerked a thumb toward my dad.

Grinning at my dad's chuckle, I nodded. "Yeah, well, thanks for sticking with him."

"Bah, no worries." He rolled his eyes probably at how trite that sounded. "Okay, so it was a bitch getting out of there, but…none of us would have made it this far, if not for your dad's calm head. Paul didn't make it, though…" His voice trailed off at the mention of the other officer who'd worked with my dad.

"Well, I want to hear about it," Jasper piped up from the table.

"Introductions first," Dad insisted, pointing to the group of people who were gathering around us.

There were eight people, aside from Eric. Liam and Maggie Leary had made it as far as Forks from Port Angeles before their car broke down, and they'd lost her sister, Tia, to a pack as they'd tried to find another vehicle. If I were guessing, I'd have pegged them at around early to mid-forties. They were sharing an RV with two girls – sisters – Hannah and Lauren Mallory, who were barely out of their teens. They were blonde and fit and quiet.

One gentleman I knew from Shelly's Bar – Randall. He was a tall African-American, with a big smile and an obsession with football, not to mention a love for cold beer.

"Omigod, Randall!" I gasped, rushing to him and laughing when he lifted me into a big bear hug.

"It's good to see you, Miss Bella," he rumbled in my ear. "Any word on that soldier of yours?" he asked in a whisper, keeping me in his arms. When I shook my head, his face fell. "Damn." He sighed, kissing my cheek. "Hang in there, huh?"

"Shelly?" I asked tentatively when he set me on my feet. When he simply shook his head sadly, I turned my attention back to Dad's people.

The oldest among them was Marcus Winston. He used a cane to steady himself but seemed fairly spry for a man that proudly proclaimed his age as seventy-one. He had a mellow demeanor and an easy smile. He was the owner of the other large RV and had come in from Aberdeen, hoping to find his brother in Forks, but had come up empty. He shared his space with the last two people, who stepped forward. They were a young couple, Peter and Charlotte Camden, and I gaped at the two of them.

"Oh, hell," I murmured, shaking my head at the large, pregnant belly the girl was rubbing. She was seven months along if she was a day.

"Do you see? Why I couldn't leave any of them?" Dad asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah, definitely, but…we'll need to prepare for that baby, Dad."

"I know. Believe me, I know. Miss Maggie over there is a nurse, so she's our only hope when it comes time for that baby," he sighed, starting to pace by the table. "We'd had a few things stored already, but…" He let out a breath, facing me. "Forks fell…and hard."

Freddie walked to me, and I pulled him into my lap, kissing his head as we waited for Grandpa Charlie to tell us what happened.

"Bella, Jasper…when you guys left, I had hoped that someone would come secure that nursing home," he started, looking between us. "No one came. Not a soul. Hell, I don't think there's anyone left, to be honest. At least not in any surrounding cities. The bigger ones, anyway." He pointed to Liam and Maggie. "Port Angeles was on fire when they left. With no power and people trying to defend themselves, things simply got out of hand." He sniffed once, seeming to steel himself to continue. "Eric, Paul, and I tried our best to secure that building. We had a few nurses left who were able to care for the sick, dole out what meds were left, that sort of thing. Anyone we saw who was still living, we brought them in, turning the large cafeteria into a camping ground. We were able to shelter about fifty people."

Dad started to pace again. "We had willing young men and women who went out daily, scouring homes, stores, schools, clinics, and abandoned cars for supplies. They did really well. They used a four-person buddy system with a pickup truck. They'd drive door to door, raiding everything they could find, from food, to baby stuff, to medicine and first-aid supplies. They'd even bring any survivors who needed a safe place."

He pointed to Randall. "Randall there…he set up a checkpoint at the home. No bites, no flu-like symptoms, no scratches were allowed inside. And it worked…except someone in that one group had to have gotten cornered while out scouting and then got scared and hid their wounds, because one night we all went to bed, and the next morning, I had a nursing home full of walking dead. They turned. Just about all of them, and they trapped us in there for days. And they could turn in less than thirty seconds."

He pointed around the crowd. "Who you see? That's who made it out. We were able to fight through it, using medical equipment and what ammo we had on us. Paul was with us, but he fell trying to help Charlotte through a window. We had to leave everything inside because I wanted that building closed and locked up. So we had to start from scratch," he explained, shrugging a shoulder. "We holed up at the station for a few days, but eventually we were going to run out of food and ammunition. We _needed_ what we'd stocked up in the nursing home."

"Who went in?" Jasper asked, narrowing his eyes a little.

"Me," Dad answered, nodding. "Along with Randall, Eric, and Peter. We strapped our arms and legs down with magazines and duct tape to prevent bites getting through, we strapped knives to the end of our shotguns and rifles like bayonets, and we wore riot helmets. It was the only way. We got most of it, though we lost a few things. The crib, the baby clothes…they were ruined. Unfortunately, we set most of those dead people free out on the street. We had no choice."

Frowning, I kissed Freddie's head again as he toyed with Edward's dog tags around my neck. "When was this?" I asked Dad.

"About a month ago," he answered, his nose wrinkling. "It took us quite a bit of time to get the cars and RVs together, fueled up, and find enough food to make the trip. We got separated when another pack came through, but we finally got the hell out of there. I saw the path you took, Bella. You cleared it beautifully, but there were packs of dead on the road. We stopped to hunt and made a couple of side trips into a few small towns to grab what we could."

I couldn't stop staring at him. If my dad – being a police officer – could make it, if he was standing in front of me, then my hopes and prayers and dreams went out silently that the other half of my family could make it. I needed them to make it so badly that I started to shake, and I hugged Freddie closer. My husband, Emmett, Carlisle, and Esme were all military trained soldiers. They were so smart, so strong, and so capable that my hope renewed almost to a point that it made me drunk, but I pushed it down. No one, aside from Freddie and me, felt as positive as we did. I saw their pity-filled looks, their disbelief, and their sadness. To voice my hope would make me sound pathetic and crazy, but something deep down told me that my heart would just…_know_ if Edward's beautiful spirit was gone, if it no longer existed on this planet.

Jasper whistled low, shaking his head. "You are officially a member of the badass club, Charlie," he praised, giving him a mock salute.

Dad laughed, shaking his head. "That's a good thing?"

"That's the best thing," he sighed. "I guess what we need to figure out is this whole living here, campsite thing. Carlisle's cabin is free, but we've been using the bunker below it for storage and emergency shelter. If you want to add what you've got, we'll have a better idea as to where we stand."

"We can do that," Hannah, the older of the sisters, piped up. "We used to work at the market in Forks, so… Yeah, kinda got the grocery thing down."

Dad chuckled. "Okay, you two get started on that. Seth, you can show them and give them a hand. Eric, if you could sort the ammo, see what the combined stock comes to…"

"Yeah, Chief. No sweat."

"I have a suggestion," Randall stated, smiling when we turned to him. "I don't want to step on toes or nothin', but this fence... It won't hold, even when you finish it. Not against a large pack like you said came through yesterday. If you want, I've got an easier, better solution."

"Man, I'm all ears," Jasper stated, standing up from the table.

"Spikes, criss-crossed each way," Randall said, mimicking an X with his hands. "Those zombies…they don't seem to be able to avoid running into stuff, so it would basically skewer them. We'd need plenty of trees chopped down, but… You know, it seems to be the one thing you have in spades. It'll take some time to fence the whole camp, even longer if you include the lake. It won't keep out humans, but it will stop those walking nightmares."

I laughed, simply because we were deep in the woods. Trees were in abundance.

The door to my dad's cabin slammed open, and Jacob's hung-over ass stumbled out into the camp. He squinted at the sunlight, and I was happy to see just how hard Jasper had hit him, not to mention the slight limp he walked with from my knee to his balls. As he got closer, I could even see a handprint around his neck from my dad the night before.

"Oh, I bet he feels like rainbows and glitter today," Angela drawled wryly.

I had to hide my laugh in Freddie's hair, but my dad heard her, smirking her way before turning to Jake.

"Just the man I needed to see!" he boomed loudly, most likely on purpose to make Jake flinch. My ex groaned when Dad's heavy hand slapped his shoulder. "I've heard some things, Jake," he started slowly, a warning tone to his voice. "I don't like them…these things people are telling me. Your cooperation starts now. I'm sorry about Billy, son, but if you again blame my daughter or anyone else you left behind that day, you'll find yourself tied to a tree until the next pack comes through. You know damn well they didn't allow it on purpose."

Jake narrowed his gaze on me, and Freddie sat up straighter. I smirked when Dad called his name again…especially loud…in his ear.

"Now…you're gonna go back to my cabin, grab everything you were able to procure yesterday, and give it to the young ladies sorting the food. That includes alcohol, son. I'm not joking. Next, you'll be joining Randall and Jasper here. We're gonna need some trees cut down. Lots of them. And I have a brand new set of tools in my truck." He slapped his shoulder again.

I moaned, looking to Angela. "You know, my first hangover… Dad did that same thing. Suddenly, he needed help mowing the lawn _really_ early the next morning."

Angela chuckled. "Cruel, but helpful. Look."

Jake stumbled away, muttering under his breath as he trudged back into the cabin.

"Gentleman, the first foul word he blurts out," Dad told Randall and Jasper, "I wanna know about it."

"Yeah, Chief," they both said through highly amused grins.

I set Freddie on his feet, walked to my dad, and kissed his cheek. "Welcome to Blackwood Lake, Dad. Glad you could make it."

**~oOo~**

_Four months and ten days after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

"What do you think?" Dad asked, tapping the map of the Olympic Forest.

Jasper and Seth studied where he was pointing. They were trying to figure out the easiest, safest way to hunt. We needed meat. Fishing was fine, though there was a concern that we'd already caused a dip in the amount of fish in the lake. The food stores were holding steady, with plenty of vegetables, dry goods, and soups. There were very few fresh veggies, and Sue had started to work a small garden just to keep us supplied with tomatoes, onions, and potatoes. She was hoping for more, but she was happy with what she'd accomplished. However, canned and fresh meat was scarce, and we needed a real, true hunting trip.

"I think…here…and here," Jasper said, dragging his finger from one point to another. "When you came in, was Sol Duc Road still clear, empty?"

"Yeah," Dad answered, nodding a little. "There were a few straggling dead, but not anything you guys couldn't handle. They're just wandering aimlessly."

Jasper nodded, looking to Seth. They'd volunteered to go off on the hunt for us. Just the two of them. The thought was scary, but with Jasper's bike, Seth's quick feet, and both of them being really good shots, they were the best option we had. The bike alone could get them around and through tight spots and narrow roads. Any more than that, and they'd have to take a truck, which would limit their mobility.

"This will be more than just one day," Seth explained, flinching when his mother tsked. "Mom! We don't have a choice! Jack can't go with that ankle he twisted. Charlie's needed here. Randall and Jake are barely making headway with that fence. Who else could go? Who else can track deer?"

Sue sagged in defeat, and I wrapped an arm around her shoulders. I completely understood her fears. Seth was all she had left. He was her son, her baby. My eyes immediately sought out my own son, and I found Freddie laughing and playing by the lake with Janie, Angela, and the two Mallory girls. I'd found out Hannah was eighteen, but little Lauren, despite how mature she looked, was only fourteen…and crushing on Seth big-time. Jack was watching over them all, despite his wrapped ankle – a silly accident he'd gotten coming up the slippery bank of the lake. It pissed him off something fierce; he felt useless.

"Sue, I wouldn't send them if I didn't think they couldn't handle it," my dad soothed, and I smirked at the affection I saw there, now wondering if there was a bigger reason he'd asked me to take Sue and Seth with me when we'd left Forks.

My dad, despite how he probably didn't see it, was a born leader. People instantly looked to him for what to do. I'd seen it the second he stepped onto the campsite. Even Jasper had relinquished some of the control, simply because Dad could handle it. It may have been his personality, or even the fact that he'd been chief of police, but it was most likely both, added with his calm, level head.

"What about Peter?" I asked in a whisper.

"Nah," Jasper immediately answered. "I can't risk a _daddy-to-be_ out there. It's not cool. Just like you aren't going either." He pointed at me, but I chuckled.

"Not a damn chance," Dad added.

I sighed, shaking my head. "Well, then, I guess it's you two, only because Liam and Marcus are working on some sort of water thing. They've rigged a few barrels to catch rain water, and they're working on some sort of pump. We still can't drink it without boiling it, but running water for a shower and washing clothes sounds damn nice."

"No kidding," Sue agreed.

"Here's what you're gonna do," Dad stated firmly. "You'll take exactly twenty-four hours. I want your asses back in this camp same time tomorrow. Not a single argument, and I don't care if you've caught anything by then or not. If you haven't, then we'll set up another trip, but I don't want you gone any longer than that."

Jasper looked like he was about to argue, but Seth smacked his shoulder, saying, "Got it. If anything, we'll snag some rabbits."

"I don't care if you catch _frogs_, son, just get back here in twenty-four hours," Dad countered.

Jasper snorted, shouldering his crossbow. "Yeah, Chief."

Standing up from the table, I zipped up the backpack I'd put together for them – bottles of water, a first-aid kit, some food, and extra ammo. I handed it to Jasper, who strapped it down, still allowing enough room for Seth to sit behind him on the seat.

He busied himself, checking the bike over, then his weapons. Without looking my way, he spoke softly. "This is one of those times I wish Edward was here. He's good in the woods. He always was, but then…you probably wouldn't let him go."

Snorting, I shrugged, toying with the dog tags I now refused to take off. They comforted me, and they seemed to keep Jasper's feelings in check. He'd backed off a little, though I wasn't sure that wasn't due to my dad's presence, not just my husband's name around my neck.

"I don't know, Jazz," I told him, smirking a little. "I can't say what I'd do if he were here. That's a painful game to play…for me. I want him here so badly, it makes me physically sick to speak of it."

Jasper sniffed and nodded. "Even if you knew, had closure…" He trailed off, changing directions. "What if he never shows?"

"What if he does?" I fired back.

There was the pity I'd come to expect from everyone when Edward – or even Carlisle, Esme, or Emmett – was mentioned.

"Don't," I snapped. "Don't do that. Jasper, it took us nearly a week to travel forty miles. It took my dad almost two. How long would it take to come across the country?" When he didn't answer, I went on. "Then…ask yourself this... If Edward had enough knowledge to call me, to prepare me for coming _to this place_, wouldn't you think he'd prepare for the worst where he was? He's never been stupid, Jasper Whitlock. And neither are his parents, as you could tell from how Esme stocked that bunker."

Jasper grimaced but nodded. "Believe me, I hope like hell you're right, despite…" He finally smiled, and it was the lazy, friendly, half-smile that was just Jasper. "Look… I love my cousin, my aunt and uncle, and even that big oaf Edward dragged home so long ago. Emmett's a loyal-as-hell friend. They are my family. I promised Edward I would watch over you and Freddie…and I intend to keep that promise, Bella, even if I have to fight his ghost to do it."

"Jasper," I sighed and groaned at the same time.

"No, I get it," he said through a laugh. "Jesus, Bella, you've forgotten I was there the day he set eyes on you…and you on him. There's nothing like that in the world. Believe me, I wish there was. And now the world is even smaller."

I heard approaching footsteps, and I turned to see Seth and my dad walking toward us. Turning to Jasper again, I whispered, "Please, be careful out there."

"Yup," he grunted, straddling the bike and looking past me. "Twenty-four hours, Chief."

"Good," Dad replied. "Watch each other's backs out there. It won't destroy us if you don't find anything the first time. Got me?"

Seth nodded as he got on behind Jasper, who started the bike with a rumble. They circled around us, heading down the long driveway, with Jacob and Randall closing a makeshift gate behind them.

"You're killing that man, Bella," Dad muttered with amusement.

I rounded on him so fast that he flinched. "I'm doing no such thing."

He sighed, shaking his head. "He's a good man, kiddo."

"He is. And a good _friend_."

Dad smirked, narrowing his eyes on me. "And he's well aware that he'd take second place in your heart for the rest of his life. That's tough for a man to swallow. Hell, he sees where your heart is every time you set eyes on Freddie."

"I can't help that, Dad. I just can't."

"You can't mourn forever…"

"Really, Dad?" I asked incredulously. "This is coming from the man who never stopped pining over my mother for _how _long? I was…what? Two when she left? So fourteen years, right? Don't even go there with me, Daddy. It's an argument you won't win, especially when you and Mom accused me of being just like you my whole damn life."

He snorted, holding up his hands in surrender. "I'm just looking out for you, Bells. The world has changed…"

"But _I_ haven't."

With that, I walked away to relieve Eric on the security watch.

**~oOo~**

It was a long day, and an even longer, quiet night. We were all worried about Jasper and Seth. It was a complex set of emotions. We needed the food, but we needed them safe. It was hard for any of us to sit still. Freddie followed my dad around like a lost puppy the next morning. He'd missed his grandfather so much, and the fact that they were attempting to fish together again, just like they used to, made me smile.

I'd promised Sue I'd help wash clothes. It was a long, drawn-out process, doing it by hand, but we'd kind of gotten the hang of it. As I made my way from my cabin, I noted all the changes around camp that had taken place in a little less than a month. They were enormous. Most of us had sorted out a schedule for standing watch – one on the tree stand Jake had built, and one on top of Marcus's RV. At my dad's insistence, all of the adults stayed armed at all times. With the fence still incomplete, the occasional pack of walkers could still sneak up on us, especially in the rain or at night.

Sue's garden was small but green and healthy. The picnic table now had two large folding tables with it. And the fire pit had been expanded, not to mention my dad had brought a fairly large grill. Liam and Marcus were still working on our water. Without power, the pumps wouldn't work, so they wanted to find a hand pump – or build one.

Sue was already at work as she poured a bucket of water into an aluminum tub when I found her between Carlisle's cabin and mine. She smiled sweetly, pointing to the few remaining bottles of laundry soap.

"See what you can get out of those, sweetpea," she told me. "I've already separated everything into easier stacks. We'll do sheets first, then underwear. We'll save the dirtier stuff for last. We may have just enough sunlight to get it all done today."

I let her ramble. It was sweet and soothing. She chattered on and on about nothing in particular, and I loved it. There was no agenda when it came to Sue, and I was able to lose myself in my head for a bit and watch Freddie with my dad at the same time. She was worried about Seth, so I knew she was hoping that time would fly by.

As load after load were wrung out and hung along the lines between the two cabins, I could feel the camp grow more and more anxious. Jasper and Seth were due back at any moment, at least we hoped.

When the laundry was done and lunch had come and gone, anxiety kicked up to murmurs of worry, of what steps to take to find them.

"I need you guys to calm down," Dad said firmly at the table. "We'll give them a little while longer."

"Any longer, and you'll lose daylight," Marcus advised. "If you know the area they were going…"

"I do, and I also know Jasper well enough that he wouldn't do anything foolish," Dad countered.

"Jasper…maybe. Seth is just a kid…" Jake stated, rolling his eyes.

"Jacob Ephraim Black, I can still put you over my knee, son," Sue warned him. "I used to do it when you were a child, and I'll do it again."

Jake's tan skin blushed a deep red, especially when there were cheers to see it. He started to get up from the table, but the rumble of a familiar engine caused all of us to stand up.

Randall rushed to the gate, pulling it open enough to let the bike through. I had to smile because strapped to the seat behind Seth was a beautiful, healthy doe. Dad and I met them just as Jasper turned off the bike, and instead of the usual laidback smile, it was somber and serious that greeted us.

"We have a problem, Chief," he stated, shaking his head. "We'd have been back sooner, but… We ran into some people."

Dad grunted, his eyes narrowing. "Survivors?"

"Yeah, and desperate ones." Jasper nodded, gesturing to Seth. "Seth here gave up some rabbits, tryin' to help them out."

"How many we talkin'?" Dad asked.

"There were two of them. Just kids, really. They looked pretty ragged. But they spoke like there were more and that they weren't far. I just…wanted to give you a head's up, Charlie."

Dad gripped his shoulder. "No, no…you did the right thing. Both of you." He inhaled deeply, letting it out. "We'll just keep watch, stay sharp, but this is a big forest, so hopefully they'll leave us be, yeah?"

"I hope so," Jasper agreed.

"In the meantime, let's dress this deer," Dad praised, slapping Seth's shoulder. "Well done, guys."

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… I love Charlie in charge. LOL I do. **

**Questions… The one question I felt needed to be addressed was… Is the virus everywhere, or just the states? Everywhere. In the newspaper articles at the beginning, you can see where contact was lost between the governments of several countries. So…yeah. Every-damn-where. Again, you can blame Florida (which is hilarious to me, since it's my home state), but it's one of the most visited places in the world, along with NYC. So…it would've spread everywhere.**

**Jasper… As you can see, he's quite conflicted. He's…struggling with everything, but would never disrespect his cousin. It's a fine line to walk. And Bella, God love her, is a stubborn, faithful thing. **

**Okay, so I thanked everyone on FB, but I needed to say it here. Thank you so much for the reviews and recs of this story. You've blown by over 1000 reviews, and I've read them all. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I wish I could reply to them all, but my schedule and time won't allow it and to write, so… Huge thanks!**

**Thursday looks good for the next chapter, and we'll pick back up with Edward. Note the dates…we're about a month away. ;) Until Thursday… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N… ******Early update again...in fact, I may just switch from Thursday to Wednesday, simply because my schedule has changed a bit. Sunday stays the same. I'll let you guys know... ********

**You guys make me laugh, for real. The love for Charlie, the sympathy for Jasper, and the hate for Jake…it's in almost every review. Thank you. Try to keep in mind that Charlie only wants to see his daughter taken care of in these now shorter and much more violent times, and…AND…keep in mind that Edward was at "ground zero," so only Bella and Freddie have the strongest faith. To everyone else, it seems impossible for Edward to have survived. **

**We're back with Edward and his gang. See me at the bottom…**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 9**

**EDWARD**

**_Jackson Hole, Wyoming_**

_Four months and ten days after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

"What the fuck is that?" Quinn hissed in a whisper as we crouched low in the woods.

"Bison," I answered, aiming the crossbow. "Think of it as a big, hefty cow."

He groaned in appreciation. "Oh my fucking hell…_steak_."

"Exactly," I sang low, waiting until the big bastard turned just right and it was completely oblivious of us as it grazed along the small clearing.

"We can't carry that shit."

"We're not taking all of it. Just enough to feed us for a couple days," I told him, smiling when the bison finally moved perfectly into my sight. The arrow left the crossbow in a whoosh, landing exactly where I needed it – the head. "I hate to waste it, but we don't have a choice. C'mon, let's get this done," I said louder as I stood, pulling out my knife.

"Did you hunt? You know, _before_?"

"Yeah. More so as a kid, but yeah. My cousin is the big game hunter," I stated with a grunt when my knife went to work on the bison. "After I joined the Army, killing shit – even animals – tends to be not so…exciting anymore. When you've shot people…" I shrugged, looking up at him. "Now, it's just…"

"Survival. Yeah," he said with a nod.

He was good kid and had proven himself more times than I could count over the last couple of weeks. I'd been off on his age when I'd first set eyes on him, but only by a year. He was seventeen. He'd lost his entire family to the virus – mother, father, baby sister. They'd been attacked on the way home from church. All of it made him a bit harder than he should've been, but my mother had already adopted him without shame. Actually, all the women doted on him, and I was pretty sure my buddy, Tanya, had a crush, about which I teased her relentlessly. It was the guitar, I was damn certain of it. The kid could play well and even sing a little, and he'd do it at night around the fire. I wasn't sure if it was for all of us, or to soothe himself, but he wasn't half-bad.

I was still cutting the meat when I heard the telltale grunts, growls, and heavy breathing. "Aw, shit!" I snapped, jerking my chin. "Try and hold them off. I'm almost done. When we leave, they'll fall on this thing quick, fast, and in a hurry,so it'll give us a chance to run. Yeah?"

"Yeah, yeah…on it."

He stood up, pulling out the machete he'd been using the last few days. It was a silent weapon he'd used when we went through the outskirts of Denver. That city had been pure hell, something we should've known when "Welcome to the Jungle" had been recently spray-painted across the city limits sign. Emmett was sporting the Velcro cast again, simply because we'd gotten into a scuffle with some asshole survivors who'd wanted one of the Hummers, which they succeeded in taking, but only after Emmett beat the living hell out of one of them. It had been the one my parents had been driving since Florida. Fortunately, most of my mother's research had been in the RV, as well as the meager amount of food we'd been able to salvage along the road, but we'd lost a shit-ton of first-aid supplies and camping equipment.

Emmett had sprained his wrist in that fight, and that was why Quinn was hunting with me instead of him.

I wrapped up the meat in newspaper, then in several sheets of plastic, before shoving it into my backpack. Glancing up, I saw Quinn take the heads of two zekes stumbling from the treeline, though a few more were zoning in on the scent of blood in the air. They could have it.

I whistled sharply. "Let's go, Quinn. Let them have it!"

He backed away several steps, only to turn tail and run my way. The zekes followed him, but the fresh meat on the ground was irresistible. They fell on the bison in a heap of snapping teeth, fierce growls, and tearing fingers.

We needed to get back to the edge of the small town where we'd left the four-wheeler. Those bastards had come in handy. We still had Rose's RV, my Hummer with the store of ammo, and now a large pickup truck with a trailer for the two four-wheelers we'd taken in Dodge City. They used less fuel and were perfect for short excursions, just like this one.

It was downhill back to the street. The layout of Jackson Hole was right in front of us, situated in Jackson Hole Valley. In the winter, the place would've been overflowing with skiers, but it being summer, it was green…and really fucking quiet.

Reaching the four-wheeler, I quickly dumped the backpack into the storage compartment, scanning around us for more zekes. There were a few here and there, but they were moving slowly enough we could afford to catch our breaths.

"Okay, check the list. What else we gotta find?" I asked him, straddling the seat.

"Let's see." He reached into the back pocket of his jeans, pulling out a wrinkled piece of paper. "Your mom still needs first-aid stuff, so whatever we can find. Doc wants razors." He huffed a laugh. "Apparently, you and he are looking like cavemen."

Snorting, I rubbed the beard on my face. "It's a bitch, for real. My wife would've already cut it off in my sleep."

Quinn smiled, going back to the list, but his face paled. "Um…Alice and Rose need…"

I rolled my eyes, starting the engine. "Right, they need pads or tampons or whatever. Got it. You and Emmett, I swear."

"It don't squick you out or nothin'?"

Laughing, I shook my head. "Trust me, kid. It's just a part of life. I've bought more boxes than I can count for Bella, so… It's no different than toilet paper or fucking condoms."

"Of which we need both…" he said, looking back at the list before hopping on behind me.

"Condoms?" I asked, swerving around two gnarled and decayed zekes stumbling and reaching for us. Quinn swung the machete left-handed, taking the closest one out.

"Emmett and Rose," he mumbled, making me laugh.

"Okay, okay," I sighed, shaking my head as we left the wooded hill and entered the small town. "Pharmacy, it is."

We rolled down streets devoid of any movement, with parked cars here and there that had dead inside. Quinn was watching out for stores we could use, but my eyes scanned upper-floor windows, shop doorways, and alleyways. We'd stopped at a lot of places since the very beginning, and I'd seen shit I never wanted to see again, but this place with its lack of chaos was almost creepier than if the streets had been filled with zekes. It truly was a ghost town; all it was missing was the rolling tumbleweeds.

I came to a slow stop in the center of what looked like the downtown area. A small park that was now overgrown seemed to be the town square. But it was the archway leading into the park that caused me to stop.

"Wow, dude. That's really…"

"Disturbing," I finished for him softly.

I could imagine that at one point, the archway had been a focal point. At about twenty feet tall, it was completely made up of antlers – white, sun-bleached antlers. It looked like a combination of deer, moose, and whatever else, but still it may have been some sort of art installation. However, the antlers were now being used…like flypaper. Skewered in several random places were zekes. All told, maybe ten or so, but I couldn't see the other side. Some were still, some saw us and started to writhe, but they were hanging there, unable to move other than flailing arms. I couldn't decide if it was a deterrent or some sort of display of human mental illness.

"Did'joo ever see _Texas Chainsaw Massacre_?"

Chuckling at Quinn, I nodded and pulled away. We drove around the small park to the other side of town. It was there that more movement started to catch my eye – some in windows, and some along the streets.

"There, Edward," Quinn said, tapping my shoulder and pointing to a storefront on the corner.

I pulled up onto the sidewalk, right at the door. There was a hand-written sign that said to take what was needed and no more.

"Perfect," I muttered, taking the key out of the four-wheeler once I turned off the engine. "Quinn, we're gonna go in quick. I need you to watch my back and our ride. I think we're being watched. And fuck that machete… Use your gun."

He nodded fervently, reaching for the door of the pharmacy. A bell chimed at the top, making me flinch at the sharp sound piercing the silence in the streets. I reached up to stop it, freezing long enough to listen inside the store. No shuffles, no growls, no stumbling met my ears, so I let out a breath, and we let the door close behind us.

"You stay at that door," I ordered him. "Eyes and ears open for anything. Got me?"

"Yeah, just…hurry, Edward. Will ya?"

"Trust me, kid, I understand. Now…let me have that list."

I worked quickly, filling the empty duffel I'd brought with the shit we needed. The place was pretty bare, but there were a few things left on the shelves. I reached the feminine products, grabbing what I could find, but the condom section made me chuckle out loud.

"What's so funny?" Quinn hissed in a whisper across the store.

"Apparently, safe sex is _not_ a priority anymore," I stated through a chuckle. "The shelf is practically untouched."

Quinn snorted into a harsh laugh. "Seriously? Well, I guess an STD isn't the worst thing you can catch now days."

"Very true," I muttered, snagging a bunch of boxes just to shut Emmett up.

The last section of the store that I needed to check was behind the pharmacy counter. I'd already grabbed the basics – alcohol, peroxide, and a couple packs of bandages – but I knew my parents; they'd want antibiotics and pain killers, just in case. It was all the way in the back, and the sunlight from the front windows didn't exactly reach every corner. Pulling out a flashlight, I clicked it on and stepped around the register.

The shelves were ransacked but still had a few things. I grabbed what I could, freezing when the stench of decay wafted around me. I barely had time to register the smell before the shelf beside me shattered and a blackish-purple hand grabbed my arm.

"Aw, fuck!" I yelped, yanking my arm out of the zeke's grasp, but it pushed against the other side of the shelf, causing it to fall toward me. Boxes, bottles, and pills scattered everywhere when I tried to stop the tall shelf from falling on me.

"Quinn!"

I couldn't fight the zeke and the shelf at the same time. That same twisted, rotten hand reached and grasped at my hand, my arm, anything it could latch on to. The growls and snarls grew louder, as did Quinn's running steps.

"Christ," he hissed, and the pop of his handgun rang loud in the tight space, making my ears ring for just a second, but I collapsed back to the floor, looking up to see the shelf was leaning against the one next to it at an angle.

"Ed, you okay?" he called from the other side.

"Yeah, I think so," I sighed, shaking my head at how close that was to going really fucking badly. "Can you tilt the shelf back?"

He appeared at the end of the aisle, braced his hands on the case, and pushed. It wobbled enough that I could scoot out from behind it.

"How the hell…" I grumbled, knocking pills off me to the floor and wiping the sweat from my brow on the sleeve of my old Army jacket.

"You mean why didn't the zeke come a'runnin' when the bell rang at the door?" he joked, grinning. "Look at him…"

I snatched up my flashlight and shone it on the other side of the shelf. Apparently, the pharmacist had been on duty when he was turned. His lab coat was no longer stark white but covered in vile shit and blood. But it was his legs that my eyes sought out.

"Oh." I gripped my hair, only to rub my scruffy jaw.

The zeke's legs were at least six feet away at the back door, but the bastard had dragged itself across the back room, only to practically climb the shelf to get to me.

I cracked my knuckles, shaking my head. "Someone's been at him. As in…they shot those legs off. I'd say shotgun? Maybe?"

"Yeah, well…he still thought you were tasty."

I waved that statement away, shaking off the adrenaline still coursing through me.

"Can we be done now?" Quinn asked. "I'm fucking starving."

"Yeah, kid… C'mon," I sighed, shouldering the now heavy duffel bag. "I think I got everything, and if I didn't…we'll live."

We hurried through the store and burst out the doorway, ignoring the chiming bell this time. I dropped the duffel onto the seat of the four-wheeler, spinning when Quinn cursed, his gun engaging.

"Put that gun down!" I snapped, pushing the barrel of his weapon toward the sidewalk.

Standing in pure eerie silence was a little girl who couldn't have been much older than Freddie. She was filthy, her pink dress covered in smudges of what looked like food and blood. She had light-brown hair and dark eyes that reminded me of my Bella's. Her shoulders were strapped down with what looked to be a heavy backpack. She wasn't a zeke, simply because tears coursed down the little girl's face, clearing her pale skin with those tear tracks.

"Jesus, sweetheart… You just scared us. That's all. You okay?" I asked her, stepping slowly toward her. As I got closer, I could see that she wasn't carrying a backpack, but another kid – a baby. The toddler was weighing the girl down, but she was holding her own at the moment. Kneeling down in front of her, I asked, "You alone? What's your name?"

"Irina."

"Well, I'm Edward…this here's Quinn." I pointed a thumb behind me. "Now…why are you out here alone?"

She hiccupped a sob, shaking her head. "Mom-mommy… She's sick, and I couldn't… And…I can't reach…"

Groaning, I closed my eyes for a second, only to nod slowly and reach out to wipe away her tears. "Okay, shhh… Where's your mommy?"

She simply pointed around the corner, which gave me a look at the baby on her back. He was at least healthy and quiet, chewing happily on his fist, his legs kicking restlessly.

"Hey, big guy," I called, smiling when I received a rather dimply, toothy grin.

"That's my baby brother, Felix," Irina whispered.

"Sweetheart, why don't you let me carry Felix, and you take me to your mom, okay?" I asked, not really giving her a choice. The chubby little boy was weighing her down quite a bit.

"Edward…should we?" Quinn started but shut up when I stood with Felix in my arms.

"I can't leave them, Quinn. Not until I know just how sick her mother is," I explained, raising an eyebrow at him. "Bring that bag."

"Ah, shit. Okay," he sighed but nodded as he waved us on.

Irina was fast little thing once free of her brother, darting around the corner.

"Hey, kid, wait up," Quinn called. "You can't know what's around these corners."

"Don't worry. Bob gots the bad guys," she stated firmly before taking a quick right into a doorway.

I heard her footsteps trudge up some stairs, and Quinn and I followed with Felix now firmly gripping my dog tags. I snorted, thinking Freddie did the same damn thing when he was the same age.

The building was three stories and old. Each floor we passed, I could hear the scratching, the growling behind each apartment door. Irina didn't even bat an eye at any of it, which was both a relief that she wasn't allowing it to scare her and sad that this new world had already hardened the young. I forced that thought out of my head, simply because my son was seeing this new world – I hoped – and I couldn't fathom how he was handling it.

Irina stopped in front of a door at the end of the hallway, waiting until we caught up with her. She turned the knob and went in. The apartment was a mess. Clothes and toys everywhere, not to mention open cans of food. Felix wriggled in my arms, and I set him down in a toy-filled playpen, ruffling his hair that was slightly darker than his sister's.

Irina, suddenly quiet and shy, stood in the hallway, pointing to a bedroom door. "Mommy's in there."

I glanced over my shoulder to Quinn, who grimaced and slowly wrapped his hand around the handle of the machete in his belt. I did the same to the knife on my thigh, not sure what I'd find inside that bedroom. The door creaked a little when I pushed on it. The room smelled of sickness – the smell that came with medicines used to help someone breathe, the stale, still air of a room that had been closed up.

There was no movement in the room, but the bed wasn't empty. A woman with dark hair lay there sweating and unconscious. Her face was flushed, her brow wrinkled. Her leg was out from under the covers and haphazardly bandaged.

"Her name's Carmen," Irina whispered, only to bolt when Felix started to fuss.

"Carmen?" I called, placing a hand on her brow. "Jesus, she's burning up."

"'Cause she's in shock, I think," Quinn whispered, lifting the bandage on her leg.

"Oh shit…" I reached into my jeans pocket and pulled out the key to the four-wheeler. "You know the way back to camp, Quinn?"

"Yeah, but I'm not leaving you, Edward. Your parents will kick my ass. Your dad, especially. And Emmett will pound me!"

I shook my head. "No, you're gonna bring all of them here. Now! I need my parents for this, and tell my mother to bring everything she's got. Go! Lead them straight through town and set up camp in the street downstairs. Go as quickly as you can!" I pressed the keys into his hand, spinning him and shoving him out the door.

He was out of the room and slamming the apartment door before I could tell him again. Walking back into the living room, I saw that Irina was keeping her brother occupied. I opened the duffel I'd filled at the pharmacy, grabbing the bottles of alcohol and peroxide, not to mention a roll of gauze. Their kitchen was a mess, but I didn't pay it much attention, considering there was no telling how long the little girl had been fending for herself and her brother. Her mother looked like she'd been out of it for some time.

Inside the cabinets, I found a bowl, half a bottle of water, and a few dish cloths. Pouring some water and some alcohol into the bowl, I dropped one of the rags in there. I had to get her fever down. My parents could look at the wound on her leg. It didn't look like a zeke bite. If it had, then it would only be a matter of time before she turned. No, that looked like a bullet wound or a graze of a bullet. I couldn't be sure, which was why my parents were needed.

As I entered the bedroom again, I heard the four-wheeler's tires squeal on the pavement below as Quinn turned around to head back to camp. It wasn't far, just up in the hills. It would take him less than ten minutes to reach them and several more to move camp. If Quinn was smart, he'd bring at least one of my parents back with him with first-aid supplies. The rest could move the camp.

Reaching into the bowl, I wrung out the cool liquid, setting the rag on her forehead. She flinched, moaned in her sleep, but didn't wake. I wiped her face, wrung out the cloth again, only this time, I left the rag on her forehead. Carefully, gently, I checked where I could see for more wounds. I looked for bites, scratches, any sign that this was something other than shock or the flu or both.

I heard shuffling at the doorway, and I smiled at the little girl. "How long has your mommy been like this? Sick?"

She shrugged. "I dunno. She was all stuffy yesterday and went to the store for sumpin' to stop her coughin'. She came back bleedin'."

I nodded, eyeing that leg again and then the shotgun in the corner of the bedroom. If I was guessing, then I'd say she ran into that zeke that had pushed the pill case on me. She'd most likely been surprised by him. If she fell, pulling the trigger at the same time, she could have accidently grazed herself with buckshot, but at least she rid the zeke of his damn legs. It had probably given her enough time to get the hell out of there – with or without the wound.

I wrung out the rag again, putting it back on her forehead. Carmen still didn't wake. I paced from the bedroom window to the living room window. The street was silent, eerie. After my fourth or fifth pass, movement caught my eye from the living room's view of the street.

A giant of a man was pushing a cart down the street. My brow wrinkled at the dead zeke on top of the cart. The white-coat-wearing, legless bastard from the pharmacy, with his legs piled atop his chest.

"Dat's Bob," Irina whispered.

"Who is he?"

"The garbage man," she stated, like I should've known such basic information, which made me chuckle at her.

As Bob passed by under the window, I noticed he had made himself some sort of body armor using duct tape and sports equipment – shin pads, shoulder pads, and something around his forearms. He stopped and pulled a baseball bat from the bottom of the cart, and his lips moved like he was talking to himself. He walked without fear, without hesitation, to a zeke slowly stumbling out of an alleyway. One strong swing, and the zeke's head imploded. Bob lifted the body as easily as I carried Felix, dropping him on top of the pharmacy zeke, only to continue on down the street.

"He takes them to the park."

Grimacing at that, I nodded and started to pace again. I lost count of how many laps I did around that tiny-ass apartment, but when I finally heard the four-wheeler's engine on the street below, I rushed back to the living room window. Quinn had brought my mother, who was wearing the backpack with whatever medical supplies she'd been able to salvage.

I ran down the stairs of the building, meeting her at the door, but pointed to Quinn. "Go help everyone else."

"I don't need to, Ed… They're coming," he stated, pointing behind him with a thumb. "I gave them directions."

"Where is she?" Mom asked, and I led both of them back upstairs. As soon as she saw the disarray in the apartment, then the two little ones, her face turned up to mine. "Oh, Edward."

"Yeah, exactly why I sent for you," I muttered as she followed me to the bedroom. "She's burning up. And this looks like a bullet to me, but… I don't know. It's not a bite, for sure."

"No, no…it's not." She checked the woman over. "She's dehydrated, fever. Probably the flu. But shock, too, with this wound. I'll need to clean it out, but might have been too long to stitch it."

"Do what you do," I told her as she pulled on rubber gloves.

"I'll need your help until your father gets here."

Nodding, I followed every instruction. Quinn piped up that everyone was pulling up downstairs as Mom started an IV of saline, asking me to hold it up until she moved a coatrack that had been by the front door so that she could hang it. She removed the haphazard bandage, flinching at the wound, but got to work immediately on checking it, cleaning it, and feeling around in it for any bullets or fragments. The plink of metal onto the nightstand proved my theory correct – she'd accidently caught a stray while defending herself – whether by ricochet or just plain fuck up.

Carmen moaned in pain when Mom cleaned the wound and rewrapped it tight, but my mother glanced over her shoulder when my dad appeared in the doorway.

"We need to get antibiotics in her," she stated.

"I got some at the pharmacy, but they're pills," I told them.

"Check the bag, Carlisle. If there's not a vial, then we'll crush up the ones Edward has."

The two of them went to work on the poor woman, so I left the room, finding Rose and Tanya with the kids. Tanya was playing with Felix, and Rose was giving Irina's face a wipe-down at the same time the poor girl was trying to shove an apple in her face.

"How is she?" Rose asked.

I shrugged. "She's not awake, that's all I know."

"Emmett said to tell you he needs your help setting up downstairs. He's gonna smoke that meat you guys got today. And these two need food."

Nodding, I raked my fingers through my hair and then rubbed the back of my neck. "What if…"

Rose glanced between the two little ones. "I don't know, Edward." She sighed, but her sad blue eyes locked on mine. "What _can_ we do?"

Shaking my head, I made for the apartment door. "I think this one's on my parents."

It was a long damn night. Carmen stayed unconscious through it all. My parents watched over her in shifts, changing the IVs, monitoring her fever, and checking her pupils. We were down to one last bag of saline, which meant hunting down more, but if she came out of this shit, it would be worth it. Watching the kids with Alice, Tanya, Emmett, and Rose was amusing. We were all worried that they'd be orphaned by morning. If that were the case, we didn't know what we'd do.

Felix got fussy after he'd eaten almost his weight in steak and canned green beans. He'd shoved it into his face by the tiny fistful, but he fought sleep. We were all piled in the living room of the apartment when he started to truly lose his shit.

"Here," I said, holding my hands out for him. "My son was like him at that age. It's teeth and stubbornness."

"Well, I can't imagine where he got that," Alice taunted, and I rolled my eyes at the chuckles around the room but gathered the little guy up.

"Quinn, play something. Something soft, easy."

The kid smirked, but he'd already been plucking at the guitar anyway. He sat forward, resting the beautiful natural-wood instrument on his knees. His song choice was familiar and almost painful. Smiling in memory of first meeting Bella, of slow dances the night before I had to ship out to Afghanistan, and of long kisses that I'd wanted to last forever, I hummed the song against Felix's head. He picked up my dog tags and gripped them, starting to pull them to his mouth, but I offered him my fingers instead – at least they were clean.

The little guy grumbled a bit more while Quinn sang words of tough times and being there for someone, begging to be a friend or more. Felix let out a shaky sigh, but his head fell to my shoulder as I paced slowly, rubbing sore gums with my finger.

Fuck me, I missed Freddie and Bella. She'd have been all over this situation, loving and doting on Irina and Felix. She was an amazing mother, which gave me hope, and it made me sad, too, simply because we'd talked about another baby. She'd wanted more time with Freddie, and I'd wanted to be out of the Army when we even attempted it. We'd been on the same page, but now I hated that we'd waited. Or maybe I didn't. Life was iffy and short now. Shit had changed, but all I wanted was the chance to even have that talk again. Even if the outcome was no, I'd have killed to just…_talk_ to my wife.

"Edward," Alice whispered, coming to me. "Sweetie, he's out. You can put him down."

I set him down in the playpen, and he grumbled again but stayed out. When I stood up, I could see that Felix wasn't the only one who had crashed. Tanya was curled up like a cat in an armchair in the corner. Emmett had an arm around Rose, and they were taking up most of the loveseat. My dad was stretched out on the couch, which meant my mother was probably in with Carmen. Quinn set the guitar aside, leaning back against the wall as he stretched his legs out in front of him.

As exhausted as I felt, I was still restless. I reached for my crossbow leaning at the door, saying, "I'm gonna check our shit downstairs. This town isn't empty." Sasha perked up and joined me at the door.

"I'll come with you," Alice offered, adjusting her .45 to the small of her back.

The night was eerily quiet, and without streetlamps, every star in the sky was visible overhead. It was amazing how much we took for granted, how much useless and constant noise was in our ears all the fucking time, and taking all that away was almost frightening. No planes, cars, or helicopters. No chatter, television, or radio. There weren't any howling cats or barking dogs. And suddenly, I hated the silence, despised it. It made my boots seem loud as I checked the locks on the Hummer, the truck, and the RV, which were all parked along the sidewalk.

I adjusted the crossbow across my back, taking a seat on the stoop and bracing my elbows on my knees. Sasha sat between my feet, lying down contentedly. She let out a deep sigh when I raked my fingers through her fur. Alice sat beside me, almost too close, but I ignored it.

"You must've been a good dad," she said softly, but the noise was shocking in the quiet night.

"Mmm," I hummed with a nod. "I'd like to think so. At least I was based close to home, and I wasn't sent anywhere very often, I was able to be there for just about everything." Snorting humorlessly, I added, "In fact, Florida was the first long trip in almost two years. I'd been sent to a few places, but never for long. I was _this close_ to being out of the Army." I held up my thumb and forefinger close together. "Emmett, too, really. We were so close to being done. We were gonna go work with my cousin in construction."

"Jasper, right?"

"Mmhm."

Alice was quiet for a moment but then sighed. "I was supposed to go to college. Two years in a row. I'd almost gotten off that damn farm, but every time I got an opportunity, my dad needed help, or my mom asked me to stay with my sister, Cynthia. And she needed me as a buffer. My parents weren't all that…lovable. They provided for us, but…" She shrugged a shoulder. "They didn't see the need to do anything other than farm."

I looked over at her, and tears welled up in her eyes as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

"I hated them. When the virus went crazy, I said we needed to go, but they didn't listen. They were convinced we could stay, but…"

I wrapped an arm around her, and her tears fell hard.

"I'm so _mad_ at them," she hissed through gritted teeth, her fists balling up in her lap as her head fell to my upper arm. "And that makes me feel guilty…"

"It's normal, Alice. You lost your whole family."

She shook her head, sitting up straight and swiping at her tears, and I pulled my arm back. "I just… I saw you in there with those babies, and… I don't remember my parents ever being that way. And they're not even your kids! I can't imagine you with Freddie…"

Chuckling, I shrugged. "They're the innocents in this, Alice. Just because they're strangers, it doesn't mean they don't deserve comfort. They…they need it; babies thrive on it. They're scared…and possibly alone come morning.

"The world is different now…" I huffed, shaking my head. "It's raw and ugly, and we've been sent back to…what? The Wild fucking West. We're gun-toting scavengers who simply need to survive, but we don't have to go back to those ways of thinking. Civility shouldn't be lost in all this shit. I don't know…I guess that's wishful thinking," I sighed at the end of my rant.

Alice leaned closer, her eyes on my face – my eyes, my mouth.

"Don't," I told her, placing a hand on her shoulder and pulling back a little. "I'm not what you're looking for; I can't be what you need, Alice. I'm married, and all I want is to get home."

"No one needs to know. I'm not asking for…"

"Stop! _I would know_. Me. It can't happen. I'm not that kinda guy, Alice. I'm sorry."

"What if she's…"

"Don't finish that question. Believe me, I ask myself every fucking day. It's a reality I'd have to face, but if she's not – if Bella and Freddie are waiting for me – then how could I betray them?"

The hurt that crossed her face was painful. Rejection was an ugly fucking thing, but I couldn't help it. I simply wasn't a cheat or a user. I'd never been that way. Even back in high school, when I'd been cocky and confident, I'd been faithful to my girlfriend, Kate. Even when the new pretty brunette daughter of the chief of police moved into town, I noticed but didn't act. I knew men that did, especially overseas where they thought they'd get away with it. They'd have girls or wives back home, but fuck around on them on the sly. No, never going to happen.

"It's just not me. I'm sorry, Alice. Truly. We've become friends, but…" I stood up, and Sasha was instantly on her feet.

"No, no… It's fine. I just thought…"

I could see that it wasn't fine, but she had no choice but to accept it. I waited for her to finish that sentence, but a sound echoed up the quiet street – the scuffling drag, the heavy hissing breath, and the low growl. My head spun, checking toward the center of town and then the other way. There were three, moving slowly up the street in the dark. I could only see their silhouettes, but I could tell by the way they moved.

"Shit," Alice grunted, getting up from the steps.

"We can either ignore it and go upstairs, or we take care of it," I told her, but Sasha was already crouched low, ears perked up and teeth gleaming in the moonlight. "Sasha, stay," I commanded, looking back to Alice.

"Let's just…get it done. If I ever turn into one of these fuckers, feel free to put me outta my misery, 'kay?" she rambled, standing up from the stoop and pulling out her long knife.

"Duly noted."

We stepped off the curb and into the street, and I raised the crossbow. But as the three zekes stepped into the moonlight, I saw what was behind them.

"Oh, hell," I whispered. "We've got more than three. I'd say the herd is…a dozen? But they've seen us now; they'll follow us up to the apartment."

"Well, then, we'll just have to wake the others," she chortled, putting her knife away and pulling out her gun.

Letting the first arrow fly, I lodged it in the closest zeke, and Alice's gun completely destroyed not only the quiet but the zeke reaching for her. I heard the window upstairs slam up, but I was already working with Sasha.

"Sasha, separate!"

The big dog jumped into action, running full-speed at the coming herd, and they took the bait like always. She ran circles around them, causing them to bump into each other, falter their steps, and forget about us for a moment, which gave me time to reload another arrow.

Quinn, Dad, and Rose ran up beside us, raising their guns. They looked shaken but at the ready. Emmett stayed in the window of the apartment, using the high advantage with his rifle.

"Sasha, heel!" I called out, taking out a straggler as Emmett nailed the one behind it. The click of Sasha's nails on the asphalt grew close, and she plopped her butt down in front of me. "Good girl."

She panted, looking back at me with her tongue lolling out the side of her mouth in a big doggy grin. We all walked around them, finishing off the ones that were still moving, and I took back my arrows.

The sound of rolling wheels startled us, and every last one of us engaged our weapons at the same time. I lowered mine, simply because I'd seen Bob already.

"Irina says his name is Bob," I whispered to my dad. "Calls him the garbage man."

Dad's eyebrows lifted high, and he lowered his weapon to speak to the enormous man, but Bob was in his own world.

"Bob thanks…thanks you… Gotta clean up. Nothing in the street," he rambled to himself. "Bob can do it."

"Oh." Rose sighed sadly, looking at Bob with pity.

He was still wearing his makeshift duct tape and sports pad armor, and he picked up the closest body and tossed it on the bottom part of his cart, doing the same with two more, only to turn around and head back toward the park.

"Don't know you," he said, barely looking at us. "Gotta keep clean. Cleanliness is next to godliness."

"He's…" I grimaced, tapping my temple. "Right? I'm thinking that park archway is his doing."

"Probably. And to interrupt him may be…bad," Quinn said, grimacing a little. "My friend had a brother like that. To disrupt their…thing…whatever it is he's doing… Well, Ralphie used to have these wicked panic attacks. I mean, I can try to help the guy, but…" When I nodded, he headed off for the trailer of the pickup, where he'd probably use the four-wheeler to move bodies.

"Least he's a big bastard," I said, shrugging. "I watched him handle a baseball bat better than Jeter, so…"

Rose snorted, rolling her eyes at me.

"Carlisle! Edward!" we heard my mother call from the window. "She's awake."

"Go on," Rose said. "I'll help Quinn, but send Emmett down."

Nodding, I jogged with Dad back into the apartment building and up the steps. We found my mother gently trying to calm Carmen down.

"My babies…" she rasped, squeezing her eyes closed. "Irina…Felix…"

"Easy, sweetie," Mom soothed her, which made her flinch.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Dr. Esme Cullen," she replied, checking her forehead for fever. "Our group was moving through Jackson, and my son, Edward, found your children outside. I assure you, they're safe."

Carmen's bleary-eyed gaze flitted around the room. "What do you want?"

"Nothing," I told her, rubbing the back of my neck and then cracking my knuckles. "I just…couldn't leave those kids if you were… It wouldn't have been right. I have a kid of my own, so I hope…"

Carmen's face cracked a hint of a smile. "Thank you. I don't know what happened. I went down to the pharmacy to get some cold medicine, but…" Her eyes widened. "There was… Doug, the pharmacist, was in there, but he'd changed already. I tripped when he popped out the back. I…"

"Shh," my mother hushed her gently. "It's quite understandable. I gave you some fluids, antibiotics, and redressed that leg, and I found the buckshot just shy of shattering your shin bone, but…"

"Oh God, what was I thinking?" Carmen sobbed. "I could've left them…they'd have been…"

"But you didn't," I urged, stepping forward. "That's quite the smart girl you have."

Carmen huffed a sniffly laugh. "She's five going on forty."

Grinning, I nodded. "Yeah, my son… he's seven and the same way."

My mother helped Carmen sit up, placing pillows behind her.

"Is he here? Is he…"

I shook my head. "No, I'm…we're trying to make it home."

"Oh," she let out a deep breath. "I'm sorry to have kept you."

My dad stepped forward. "Is there… Are you all alone here?" he asked her.

"Well, there's Bob, but…you can't really speak to him. He's supposed to be on meds, but not anymore. And I think there was a couple a few streets over," she replied weakly, licking her lips. "Oh, but Mr. Cutter! He was in the building next door. We were taking care of each other, but I…"

I looked to my father, who nodded and started for the door. "I'll go check on him." When he looked to me, he added, "I'll take Emmett with me."

A racking cough barked out of Carmen, and I grimaced.

"You need your rest, Carmen," Mom told her. "Your kids are fed and safe, and we won't leave until you're okay."

"I can't do that to you guys."

Smirking at her, I shrugged a shoulder. "Then you can come with us. You're almost out of food here, and you'd be safer with more people."

She coughed again, trying to nod, and then when she'd calmed down, she asked more about our group and our travels.

I told her more about where we'd found Rose and Tanya, Alice, and then Quinn and had just started telling her about Bella and Freddie, but she looked past me when there was a light knock at the open door.

An elderly gentleman stood there, weary and worried. He wrung an old blue baseball cap in his hands.

"Carmen? We should go with them. The doc here was telling me how they're traveling, together, safer," he stated, walking to the side of her bed. He gently took her hand, patting the top. "I'm not… I can't…" He sighed forlornly. "Sweetheart, we won't make it alone. Me, being too old, and you, with those beautiful babies. Please…"

Carmen's face pained, but she finally nodded in acceptance.

"Get your rest," I told her. "We'll do everything else. Okay?" She smiled, thanking me, and I nodded once, turning to Mr. Cutter. "Edward, sir. Just let us know if you need any help with your things. And we've got some food if you're hungry."

"Much obliged, son. Call me Garrett."

I nodded again and shook his hand, sighing that we were set back for a day or so, but I wanted to talk to the rest of the group so that we could use it to our advantage. The town was practically empty, so I wanted to stock up on supplies as much as we could, including restocking some of the first-aid supplies we'd used on Carmen.

My dad smiled when I walked to him. "Give her a day or two."

"No, no…it's fine. We can load up here, rest up, too."

He slapped my shoulder and then gave it a squeeze. "It'll most likely be just the four of them. That Bob just about killed Quinn with that baseball bat of his, yelling about having to stay and clean up."

"Well, Carmen mentioned a couple on another street. We'll keep an eye out for them."

"Okay, son. Now, why don't you get some rest?" he asked, just as Felix started to fuss in the other room. "Don't even think about it, Edward Anthony. I raised you, babysat my grandson, and I'm a certified doctor, so I'm fairly certain that I'm fully qualified to rock a cranky toddler."

Grinning, I nodded, giving him a salute. "Yes, sir."

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… This is one of my fave Edward chapters, simply because it shows what type of man he truly is. And Alice… I honestly can't blame her, because he's SO EASY to crush on. And we've added to the group. **

**The song Quinn played is real, though I didn't mention the title. It's "Let it Be Me" by Ray Lamontagne. I have a playlist on YouTube under _Rain Must Fall_. There is no order to it, but you can see some of the inspiration to this fic – it's a strange collection, too. LOL And yes, it was the song Edward and Bella had their first kiss to just before Edward left for Afghanistan. ;) **

**We're back with Edward next chapter, and guys…_we're so close_! Just please trust me. ;) We'll catch back up with him on Sunday. Until then… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N… Okay, so Wednesday definitely worked out better for me schedule-wise, so I'm going to shift that around. Sundays stay the same. I'm not sure any of you particularly care…but still… ;)**

**We're sticking with Edward and company again, a company that has grown larger. I'll get out of your way, since most of you have realized that time is ticking closer and miles are narrowing down. We've got a touch more to go…**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 10**

**EDWARD**

_**Portland, Oregon**_

_Four months and three weeks after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

"We are _not_ stepping foot in Portland," I stated, gazing out from the hillside view. "That's over a half-million fuckers possibly turned, and if they're not turned, they'll be desperate as shit." I cracked my knuckles, only to shove both hands into my hair, gripping roughly as I eyed a few burning sections of the large city spread out before me.

"We need fuel, son," Dad stated the obvious, looking up from the map that was laid out over the tailgate of the pickup truck.

"I know. And we need to work our way over to the 101. I _know_!" I sighed, tearing my gaze away from the city.

I didn't want to go anywhere near it. We were so fucking close to home I could taste it. And with every mile we conquered, the more anxious I became. Portland sat just on the Oregon-Washington state line, but it was a huge hurdle we needed to jump. We needed fuel, food, and safe passage into Washington.

Emmett tapped the map. "I'm with Ed… That shit is asking for trouble." He pointed toward the skyline. "My vote is that we get over to 26, follow that all the way to the 101. We'll go right through Tillamook State Forest. We could hunt out there, not to mention there'll be plenty of cars to snag gas from… It just seems safer. There are too many of us to sneak around anymore."

Nodding in agreement, I looked to Dad, who seemed to be mulling it over. My gaze landed on our group, and I shook my head. We'd grown so much since Florida. Hell, we'd almost doubled our size when we'd left Wyoming. Not only had Mr. Cutter – who asked us to call him Garrett **–**Carmen, Irina, and Felix come with us, but we'd run into the couple Carmen had told us about. Jim and Vikki Watts were in their mid-thirties and had been struggling to find food and ammo up until we'd come across them in Jackson Hole. They pulled their weight just fine, and Jim was pretty good with cars, so he'd been a big help when Rose's RV gave us trouble in Idaho.

"That doesn't solve the gas problem now," Rose piped up. "We're all low."

Dad checked his watch, then the sky. "Why don't a group of us scout for fuel and food while everyone else sets up camp for the night? This ridge is safe."

I sniffed, eyeing the group and the vehicles. Aside from my Hummer, we still had Rose's RV, which housed Carmen and her two kids, as well as Emmett, who did most of the driving. Dad still had his pickup truck with the trailer that carried the four-wheelers. Alice and Quinn rode with him and my mother. And now we had a minivan for Jim and Vikki and extra storage. Garrett and Tanya rode with Sasha and me most of the time. Every last vehicle was getting low on gas.

"Quinn!" I called.

When he finished attaching the small trailer to one of the four-wheelers, he jogged over.

Tapping the map, I said, "I'm gonna take Emmett, Jim, and Vikki with me on a run. We'll go no farther than here. I don't feel comfortable going any closer to that city. I want you up on that RV as a lookout while they set up camp. Take the rifle out of the Hummer. If we're not back in three hours, you and my dad take the other four-wheeler up this road. Got me?"

"Yeah, man. Got it. You sure you don't want me to come?"

I smiled a little. The kid was quick on his feet, for sure, but I needed the strongest of us to lift and carry supplies and gas cans. Emmett was perfect, and so was Jim. Vikki didn't like to be separated from him, so I had no choice but to include her.

"Edward," Rose said, stepping closer. "Let me go. Leave Emmett here."

Sniffing, I nodded. "Fine, then we'll take Sasha with us."

At the sound of her name, the dog sat up from where she'd been snoozing hard beneath the shade of a tree. Her bleary, sleepy gaze shot around, and then she was on her feet and trotting to me.

"Naptime's over, big girl." I chuckled, ruffling her fur on the top of her head. "Work time."

"Boof," she huffed, shaking all over and plopping down on her butt.

Everyone who was leaving gathered their weapons as the rest started to set up camp. Jim and Vikki climbed into the trailer with Sasha, while Rose straddled the seat, leaving enough space for me to sit in front of her. Dad clapped my shoulder, telling me to be careful, and my mother handed me a list.

"Edward," Emmett called, giving me a few clips of ammo and securing the crossbow to the side of the handlebars. "Take care of her. I'm not kidding."

Smirking, I nodded. "You have my word."

"Three hours," he reiterated, holding up three fingers. "And it'll be me coming with Quinn if your ass isn't back here, so…make it quick, yeah?"

Nodding, I scanned the rest of the group, smiling at Tanya when she rushed to her sister with bottles of water. She handed one to me.

"Thanks, Half Pint," I told her, chuckling when she rolled her eyes.

"Hurry back," she told the both of us, glancing over her shoulder to Irina and then Alice, who wasn't paying us any attention. "I'm tired of babysitting, and Alice is no fun," she whispered.

Rose laughed, tugging Tanya's ponytail. "Irina looks up to you, so suck it up. As for…" She grimaced. "She's just…tired, sweetie. Hang in there. We won't be gone long."

"'Kay," she sighed. "Popcorn tonight, Edward? Please?"

I pulled her to me, giving the top of her head a kiss. "Absolutely! Have it all ready to go when I get back."

Her grin and happy jump was my reward. She was a good girl, smart and funny. She'd chatter on and on when she rode in the Hummer, asking a thousand questions. Garrett adored her, and he loved even more that she listened to whatever stories he told her.

I straddled the seat and started the four-wheeler, pulling away from camp. I stayed on the main road I'd shown Quinn, and it stayed fairly empty for the first mile or so, until we approached some houses. I pulled off to the side, turning off the engine.

"Okay. I think…pairs?" I suggested.

"You want us to hit these houses?" Jim asked.

"Yeah, just…gather whatever you can find, but gas is the priority, so take a tube and can with you. Each. Try not to use gunfire. Quiet is better." Turning to Rose, I said, "You and I are going to cut through the woods, see if there are any rabbits, or…hell, squirrels or something."

Rose's nose wrinkled, but she nodded. "Let me guess… It tastes like chicken."

"Couldn't tell you, but at this point, I'd eat just about anything that wasn't a zeke."

Sasha hopped out of the trailer, and she followed us as we split away from the other two. Rose and I stepped into the woods, immediately engulfed in the shade of the canopy overhead.

"You know damn well Alice isn't tired," I finally said after a few paces into the trees.

She laughed, watching Sasha scout ahead, only to wait for us to catch up. "She is tired, so that's not a lie, but… Her attitude problem is—"

"Me," I sighed, shaking my head. "Yeah, I know. But there's nothing I can do about that."

Alice had become quiet after Wyoming, opting to ignore me after I'd stopped her from kissing me. However, the closer we got to Washington, the surlier she became.

"Aw hell, Edward…" Rose said, coming to a stop and looking over at me. "She's… I'm with your mom on this one. I think she's young and deep, deep into hero worship. You saved her life, removed her from someplace she'd never been happy, and you…well, you're you."

"What the fuck does _that_ mean?"

She shoved me with a laugh. "You're not exactly hideous, Edward. And then…you're all about getting back to Bella and Freddie, you've got an amazing way with kids, and I swear, Felix and Irina are like little magnets to you. That's not exactly a turn-off for a woman. In all honesty, it probably makes it worse."

"Ah, Jesus," I groaned, gripping my hair and starting to move forward again.

Rose giggled, a light sound coming from her. "There's that, too. You have no clue how attractive you are…or can be, really. I'm willing to bet Bella pointed it out all the time."

"Daily," I muttered, smirking at her laugh.

"But the kicker is…we're almost there," she said solemnly. "Seriously. We're a day's drive from your home state, and the closer we get, the closer the possibility is that you'll get your family back. Your _wife_." Rose looked up at me. "Imagine the guilt. She's crushing on you really hard, and the only thing _you_ want is your life back. This whole time, it's all you've strived for. To wish differently is selfish and mean, but she wants you anyway. And she's well aware of it all. That's some tough shit to reconcile."

"Oh."

"She's young and a little immature, if not stunted by those parents of hers who kept her on that farm without any regard as to what she wanted," Rose went on to explain. "She's starved for affection, Edward. To her, you're fucking perfect."

Laughing humorlessly, I shook my head. "Hardly."

"Well, right, but take it from someone who knows, yeah?" She grimaced a little. "I thought the same thing once."

"Royce?"

"Yeah," she sighed, glancing around when a twig snapped somewhere off to our left. "He got me out of a tough bind after the virus went crazy, but he was no knight in shining armor, that's for sure."

Nodding, I gazed around us, my eyes landing on Sasha, who was tense and alert. Another scan of the woods, and I saw what she was eyeballing.

"Zekes. Two…maybe three. We'll do this quietly."

It was two women and a man. Their stench met our noses before they even caught sight of us. From where I was standing, I aimed the crossbow, taking out the man and reloading the next arrow. Rose walked swiftly, using trees to keep her distance, but using her knife, she ended the two women. We left them where they fell after grabbing my arrow and then moved on.

A few more yards, and I could see the houses we were behind, but I also saw movement in the bushes. Rabbits. Two of them. I knew one shot would most likely scare one of them away, but one rabbit was better than no rabbit at all. I aimed for the largest one, killing it with one arrow, and Rose stashed it in the bag across her shoulder.

The two of us stayed pretty quiet the rest of the time. We stepped into the small neighborhood, raiding several houses and killing a handful of zekes. We were able to siphon almost two large cans of gas from cars parked in garages or broken down in the street. Rose had even found a partial can stashed by a lawnmower. There were some canned goods and bottled water in one house, a few boxes of cereal in another, and a single jar of peanut butter in the last house.

"I say we head back," I sighed wearily, hoisting the duffel bag up onto my shoulder and adjusting the crossbow to my back before picking up the two cans of gas. Rose was just as loaded down, but she was able to keep one hand free to hold her knife as she nodded.

We took the woods back just like we came in, hoping to catch another rabbit. However, as the road came into view, voices also got louder, and they weren't Jim's and Vikki's.

"Give up the key, asshole," a rough male voice threatened.

"I don't have the key!" Jim snapped back, and I recognized the sound of fist meeting flesh.

Rose and I stopped, setting our stuff down behind the trunk of a large tree. I put a finger to my lips, gesturing for her to trade knife for gun, which she did. Carefully and quietly, I led us to the edge of the forest, stopping behind a V-shaped tree trunk. I patted the pocket of my filthy jeans, grimacing at the fact that I had the key.

"Shit," I sighed, watching as three men pointed guns at Jim and Vikki, who were kneeling on the ground, their hands behind their heads.

"Maybe your girl here has the key," one said, stepping to Vikki, who was visibly shaking in the grip of a man nearly three times her size. "Why don't I just check for myself…"

He went to reach for her, and I aimed the crossbow at the tall, thinner man who seemed to be the leader. I heard Sasha's growl too late, though.

"Ah, ah, ah," I heard beside me, the cold metal of a gun pressing into my temple. "Don't do it, motherfucker. I'll blow your brains all over that hot blonde."

My whole body tensed, but I didn't lower the arrow, and my lip twitched in hatred as I glanced over at Rose to see her pretty fucking pissed as she lowered her .45.

"Move it, asswipe," the man beside me ordered, and I did as he said, stepping out of the woods and back onto the side of the road.

"Well, what have we here?" the skinny fucking leader sang. "Maybe _you_ have the key. Drop the gun and the bow."

Smiling, I shrugged, letting the man with the gun to my head strip me of my crossbow, and Rose handed the .45 over. They were dropped to the ground in front of us. I balled my fists up, making the knuckles crack in the process.

"You'd have to check to find out," I said, but it was a warning. When one man started forward, Sasha's head lowered, her teeth flashed white, sharp, and menacing, and her growl raised the hairs on the back of my neck. "Sasha, heel," I muttered, and she looked at me like I was crazy as hell.

"He also stashed a shit-ton of stuff back in the woods, Ethan."

"Thank you so much for making this easier," Ethan stated in a sarcastic, sing-song manner as he walked to me and put his gun in the middle of my forehead. "Donnie, why don't you go ahead and get that stuff from the woods, hmm?"

Donnie stepped away, and Ethan smiled at Sasha's fierce, low growl. "That dog comes anywhere near me, and I'll put a bullet in her head. Then I'm gonna see what Barbie over there tastes like. However, I think Nate has taken a liking to the redhead. Once we're done, I'll leave you for the cannibals."

I glanced over at Rose as the asshole dared to touch her, and I saw that she'd broken out into a sweat, but it wasn't the threat or even the unwanted touch that made her nervous; it was the other side of the road. The woods had movement – slow, wobbling, growling movement – and lots of it. And if my guess was correct, the herd was pretty fucking big. However, their timing couldn't have been better, and our captors had no idea.

"Now, hotshot…give up the key."

Grinning evilly, I said, "You'll have to take it from me, fuckwit." I glanced to Sasha. "Sasha, separate."

Sasha's head snapped around, and she bolted across the street and into the woods, her bark loud and sharp as it echoed out of the trees. Ethan was momentarily distracted by her, and I used it to my advantage, bringing my head back and slamming it forward. The sharp blow to his temple hurt him more than me, though I felt my skin split open just above my eyebrow. He'd been unprepared for it, and he doubled over, spewing curse words of every kind. He recovered quickly, reaching for me, but I swung my fist hard at his stomach, only to bring my knee to his face.

Rose moved faster than I expected, throwing my crossbow to me and grabbing her gun. I used the butt of the bow to smash Ethan's head again, but Rose's gun popped off two rounds, dropping the guy behind Jim.

The guy behind Vikki snatched her up by the hair, pointing his weapon beneath her chin and giving a kick to Jim's face, which sent him sprawling across the asphalt in front of the four-wheeler.

"Let her go!" I snapped, aiming an arrow for his face, but I couldn't get a clear shot. My gaze flickered from him to the zekes now pouring out of the woods, with Sasha running circles around them. "You gotta move, man!"

"Nate!" I heard behind me, but Donnie, who was loaded down with our shit, wasn't going to make it to his last remaining friend.

"Don't shoot him," I warned Rose. "You could hit the gas cans and blow us all to hell." I swung around, releasing the arrow and nailing the thieving bastard straight in the chest. Donnie went down, along with the bags and two cans of gas.

"All alone, buddy," Rose told him, shrugging a shoulder. "And you'd better move. Just go."

Nate wavered for a moment, and it was his – and our – undoing. The herd of zekes ignored Sasha's barking and teasing, falling on the closest thing…people. Before I could pull my gun out, they were on Jim, Vikki, and the last thief. Screams rang out loud in the darkening woods.

"Goddammit!" I snapped, firing round after round at the zekes coming our way.

Rose did the same, but there was nothing we could do for Jim or Vikki. Ethan started to come around, and I kicked him just enough that the zekes fell on him. It stalled them just long enough for Rose and me to finish them off, including our friends.

I fell to my knees as the silence fell back around us. "Fuck!" I snarled, shaking my head and gripping my hair.

"We gotta go, Edward," Rose told me, pulling at my arm. "We've drawn more in."

That snapped me out of my anger just long enough to order Sasha to separate again. Rose and I moved as quickly as we could to load up all that we'd had in the woods and what Donnie had dropped when he fell. The trailer had a few more cans of gas and some bags of food, thanks to Jim and Vikki. I pulled my arrow out of Donnie's chest, wiping it on his shirt before stowing it away.

"Now, Edward!" Rose yelled, gathering up the weapons our thieves had used against us and tossing them into the trailer.

Rushing to the four-wheeler, I hopped on, starting it up. I called for Sasha, and she gave another loud bark to the zekes in front of her before dodging the new wave of dead bastards stumbling out of the woods for us. The dog leaped over the bodies and into the trailer as I turned around to head back to camp. Rose's arms trembled as she held onto me, and I practically pushed the four-wheeler to its limit to get us back.

Camp was set up when we pulled in. A low, glowing fire was situated in the middle of the circle of vehicles. When we pulled up, everyone came to meet us, but Dad's gaze was sharp.

"Where's…"

Shaking my head, I got off the four-wheeler, only to punch the seat. "We lost them!"

"You guys okay?" Emmett asked, his gaze falling onto my face. "Jesus, what happened?"

Gentle fingers lifted my chin, and I met the worried eyes of my mother. "You need stitches," she stated, but I merely shook my head and waved it off. "Well, then at least let me clean and butterfly it."

Rose explained to everyone what had happened, but I stayed quiet as my mother did her thing. She was listening to the conversation behind her as everyone sorted what we'd brought and filled the gas tanks with the fuel. I groaned when it was decided to unload the minivan, salvage whatever gas it had left it in, and drop it from the caravan.

"I'm sure you did your best, sport," Mom whispered.

"I don't know," I muttered back. "I just…" I sighed, flinching when the shit she was using stung like a bitch. "Ow, dammit."

She grinned. "Gut up, Edward. Gut up," she teased me, cupping my face. "I'm…I'm a selfish woman. I'm just glad you're back. Now hold still…"

She finished cleaning my forehead, ignoring my pussy complaining and bandaging it up as best she could. When she was done, she stepped back to eye her work.

"He was gonna kill us," I whispered, shaking my head. "And he threatened Rose with…terrible things."

"Then you did the right thing by fighting back. I'm sorry we lost people in the process, but I'm sure you did what you could. I know you, Edward. I'm sure you fought like a lion."

"I just want to get on the road…first thing. It seems like everything is against us the closer we get."

Mom leaned forward, pressing her lips to my forehead. "Be still, sad heart…" she whispered the poem against my skin, smiling when I snorted and nodded. "Into each life some rain must fall. We'll make it, sport. In fact, I fear for anyone who tries to stop you. Of all of us, you have the most to fight for, okay?"

My heart hurt, but I nodded. "I miss her, Mom. I miss them both _so fucking much_."

"I know you do, sweetheart. Your father and I miss them, too. We'll be in Washington by midday tomorrow. There's light at the end of the tunnel, Edward. Promise me you'll keep sight of that. Okay?"

I swallowed thickly, but nodded again. "Yes, ma'am."

**~oOo~**

_**Forks, Washington**_

_Just shy of five months after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

I'd never seen anything like it. I'd been in wars and seen every fucking state from East Coast to West Coast since the world fell to this virus. I wasn't sure if it was simply because Forks had always represented safety and home, or if the small town really was hit this badly.

We drove slowly through town. A few zekes perked up at the sound of us, but I hardly paid them any attention. I took in Shelly's Bar, which was a burned-out hollow shell. The police station didn't look too badly hit, but the front door stood wide open. A zeke in a Forks PD shirt stumbled out the door, and I shook my head at who it was. Paul. He'd worked for Charlie for years. A few blocks down was the nursing home, and scattered about the front doors, side windows, and the parking lot were several dead bodies.

I finally couldn't take this slow fucking pace any longer. I practically floored it to the next street, the tires of the Hummer squealing when I took the corner too quickly.

"Son, calm down. You told her to get out, right?" Garrett asked, putting a hand on my shoulder as I turned again. "You gave her warning?"

I barely checked to see if everyone was following me as I could only nod in answer.

My heart broke at the sight of my neighborhood. I passed by Charlie's house, the house Bella had lived in when I'd met her. His windows were boarded up, the wood on the front door splintered a little but not open, and his cruiser was still in the driveway. I didn't stop.

I held my breath until the little two-story house came into view. My heart hurt at the sight of Bella's car in the driveway, but my truck was absent. I pulled in behind the little blue car, unable to move for just a moment.

"Is that her car, Edward?" Tanya asked softly.

"Yeah, but my truck is gone," I barely uttered aloud.

"Maybe she took that," Garrett surmised with hope in his voice.

I heard the caravan come to a stop on the street, car doors slamming closed. Dad appeared at my door.

"C'mon, Edward. We'll check inside. I'll go with you," he stated, stepping back from the window so I could open it.

Emmett was already up on the porch, looking to me for the go-ahead to open the door. I hesitated, gazing around the yard that had obviously seen some shit. There was boards covering every downstairs window, Bella's flowers were squashed, though they were trying to come back. The grass was overgrown; the porch chairs were shattered and covered in dark stains.

If anything kicked my ass into gear, it was those blood stains. I ran across the yard, leaping up onto the porch. Emmett stepped out of the way, but his gun was in his hand, and my father armed himself as well.

My home was unrecognizable, not because it was destroyed, but Bella rarely let shit clutter up. And this was more than clutter. This was moving in a fucking hurry. There were empty boxes and bags tossed to the side, clothes and toys piled up on the sofa, and the cabinets in the kitchen were open and empty.

"Clear the room, Em," Dad said softly.

I took my stairs two or three at a time, coming up to the second floor with my heart in my throat. Freddie's room was empty, his dresser drawers hanging open and ransacked, and his bed looked like he'd just got up from a night's sleep. His TV, gaming system, and toy box were all there, untouched. Melted candles were on the window sill, and I could see that he'd pulled out every backpack and duffel bag he owned; only the too-small ones were left behind in front of the closet.

Pushing away from the door, I found Dad standing in the doorway of the room I shared with my wife. I locked gazes with him.

"It's clear, son," he stated, which made me hopeful. "She did what you told her."

Nodding, I swallowed nervously, stepping into the room that had seen so many smiles, laughs, and tears. It looked pretty much the same as Freddie's room, with open, empty drawers and abandoned suitcases and bags. My Bella had packed in a hurry. The closet still had clothes, mainly mine and her dressier shit.

"Edward," Dad called, and I turned to see him by our dresser, pointing to a picture folded in half and standing upright.

My name was written on the outside in Bella's pretty handwriting.

The picture had been taken the last time we'd gone to Blackwood Lake with just the three of us, which had been a few years back. Freddie was little, with his baby teeth and chubby cheeks. He'd shot up several inches since then, thinning out quite a bit. Bella used to tell him he'd be long and lean like me.

Written on the bottom of the picture was a note to me.

_Come to us. We went where you said to go. Love you, Shortcake_

She'd dated it, and I realized that she'd survived in this house for two months after the hurricane and that the virus had probably hit hard by the time she'd written it. She'd left just about the time we were getting ready to leave Patrick AFB. And that meant…my wife and son had been alive inside this house.

I spun my gaze around the room again, tucking that picture inside the back pocket of my jeans for safekeeping. Smiling, I let out a small breath. Gone were our photo albums, as was my handgun, because the nightstand drawer that I kept locked to keep Freddie away from it was wide open…and empty.

"She got out," I whispered to Dad, who nodded once and smiled a little.

"Thatta girl," he praised her softly, gripping my shoulder. "She's smart and strong, Edward. She would've had Charlie and Jasper protecting her and Freddie."

Nodding, I didn't say anything as I simply gazed around the room again.

I walked to the closet, pulling some of my clothes and tossing them onto the bed, though my head snapped up when I heard Sasha's bark.

Dad walked to the window. "Zekes. A few coming down the street. You finish in here, son. We got this."

I grabbed my older Army duffel as he ran downstairs, and I shoved clothes into it. I needed cleaner, newer shit, anyway, so it might as well be my own stuff. Jeans, cargos, T-shirts…it all went in haphazardly.

I sat down hard on the edge of the bed for just a moment. I needed to calm the fuck down, or I'd lose my shit in front of God and everyone. To see my house, my _home_, looking this way made my heart hurt. Bella had wanted this house so badly. She loved that it was close to her dad, that she could keep a watch over him, even when he didn't think he needed it. She loved the fairytale look of soft-yellow paint and white shutters. To see it looking like it sat in a warzone was heartbreaking…for _her_. It must've killed her to nail up the boards, to leave the place we loved so much.

"Oh, Shortcake," I sighed, shaking my head. I thought back to the day we met here to talk to the realtor.

**~oOo~**

_**Seven and a half years prior…**_

_I pulled into the driveway behind Bella's car, smiling at my girl as she waited on the front porch. I honestly didn't think I could be any more in love with her, but watching her hand rub the just-starting-to-show bump made me stupidly crazy about her._

_We hadn't intended to start trying so soon after my return from Iraq, but I couldn't find a fucking thing wrong with a single bit of it. While I was gone, she'd stayed with her father but slowly had gotten us a tiny apartment just across town, and we'd moved in about a week after we'd come home from our real honeymoon. When she'd written to me about this house going up for sale, I was willing to take a look. Now…we needed it. We needed a nursery and a backyard and swings and anything the kid could ever want._

_Getting out of the car, I smiled down at her. "Sorry I'm late. I got held up a little."_

"_You're here," she said, kissing my lips. "You're safe. That's all I care about. Late is fine as long as you arrive."_

_My hand immediately found her tummy and rubbed in greeting, and I smiled down at her. "And how's Shortcake Jr. today?"_

_She giggled. "Starving. So when we're done here, you're in charge of feeding us."_

"_Yes, ma'am." I smirked at her, but I saw her face. "Oh, baby, you want it."_

"_I do. So much!" she squealed in happiness, grabbing my hand. "Come look and meet Mr. Grear."_

_I didn't need to see the house, except to maybe check that the fucker wasn't hideous. If the house made her smile like that, then I was in. I'd survived two tours overseas with her full support and love, so if she wanted it, then I'd bust my ass to make it happen. Though, I'd stashed away for a rainy day…or this._

_Mr. Grear was the realtor who Shelly had suggested to Bella, and even Charlie knew he was trustworthy. He showed us everything about the house. And most of it had been renovated recently, so there wasn't much to do but decide and sign. The family had moved to Seattle due to a job transfer, but it was obvious that they'd loved and cared for the place._

_When he gave us a minute to talk, I lifted my girl to the kitchen counter so I could look her in the eye._

"_Talk to me, Shortcake," I told her, cupping her face with one hand and smoothing her hair back with the other. "What'cha think? You're the numbers girl."_

_Grinning, she laughed a little, looking down at her hands and then back to my gaze. I wanted to kiss her silly over the hopeful yet tentative expression on her face._

"_It's a lot to put down…"_

"_I have the down payment, baby," I countered immediately._

"_I can still work. Shelly's paying me to keep her books, the Newtons asked if I could sort out the bookkeeping at the sporting goods store, and I could do some of it from my home computer."_

"_Which needs replacing," I added, chuckling when she snorted. "Okay, one thing at a time… Got it." I kissed her softly. "You want to work, that's your call, baby. You wanna stay home with Shortcake Jr., then…"_

"_Or Little Edward," she argued with a laugh, because she wasn't far enough along to know just yet._

"_Or…Little Edward," I agreed for the moment with a smile I couldn't fight. "Then stay home, or work from home… I don't care. But Bella, we can make it work; you just have to tell me."_

_Her sweet face scrunched up adorably. "I want it. Edward, I want it. It's so perfect. It's exactly what we want…and I think that first bedroom would be the perfect nursery, but maybe we should have Jasper look at it just to make sure it's…"_

"_I've already talked to him, Bella. He did some of the work here, so he already knew about it. He says it's a good house. New roof, new wiring, new plumbing."_

_Those big, beautiful brown eyes met mine, gazing up from beneath long, dark eyelashes, and I chuckled. "Okay, okay… Let's go tell him we want it."_

_Her little dance on top of that counter was probably the most adorable, graceless, childish thing ever, and I stepped between her legs and pulled her mouth to mine with a gentle tug on the back of her neck. I kissed my girl hard and deep, loving the moan that I could elicit from her. Even better were the legs that wrapped around my thighs to bring me in closer and the grip she had on the back of my Army cargos, making me grind into her. Pregnant Bella was a needy Bella, and I usually couldn't stop myself, though this time I had to try._

"_Baby," I mumbled against her lips. "Aw fuck…Bella…"_

"_Sorry," she panted, pushing back._

"_Jesus," I panted, my forehead falling to her shoulder. "Never, ever be sorry for that, but as much as I intend to desecrate this entire house, I'd rather do it when it's ours. And not when an old man is pacing on the front porch."_

_Her giggle was silent at first, buried in my neck, and it made me smile. It shook us both, but it was sweet music when it erupted even louder when she pulled away._

_I cupped her face, kissing her roughly before wrapping my arms all the way around her to set her back to the kitchen floor._

"_The entire house, Edward?" she asked, still chuckling._

"_Every fucking inch, Isabella," I growled in her ear, spinning her around so that we could go talk to the realtor. "No surface will be safe. Trust me, Shortcake."_

_Her back met my chest as she groaned a little, and I kissed her cheek before opening the front door._

"_Well, kids?" Mr. Grear greeted us again, smiling our way._

_I wrapped an arm around Bella from behind, pulling her to me. "Let's make an offer…"_

**~oOo~**

I came up out of the memory when footsteps thundered down the hallway. Emmett smiled a little when he stepped into the bedroom.

"I bet Bella was _pissed_ when she had to nail shit to the outside of her house," he sang, shaking his head slowly.

Laughing in spite of it all, I nodded. "No shit. I wonder whose ass she tore up."

"Charlie's."

We nodded in agreement, but he glanced around the room. Rose appeared at the door, looking a bit worried.

"She made it out of here," I told her, pulling out the picture with the note.

"Oh, God, she did." Rose gasped softly, and she smiled when she met my gaze. "She's…beautiful, Edward. And Jesus, is Freddie a clone?"

"She is," I stated solemnly with a nod. "And you'd think he was, but he's like her in many ways."

She handed the picture back but cupped my face. "Your dad went to check Charlie's house, but he wants to camp at his house for the night. It's as safe a place as any, says he's got roll-down shutters. He said to ask you if you needed a bit of time…"

I nodded, standing up in front of her. "We'll head over there together. He's right; his place is better. Besides, it feels wrong…without them here." Emmett and Rose nodded in understanding as I picked up the bag of clothes I'd just packed up. "We can sleep indoors tonight," I told them, leading them back downstairs.

"Doc says it's about forty miles to the cabins," Emmett piped up. "But that we'd have to navigate the 101 some more to get there."

Grimacing, I nodded. "Yeah, normally it would've taken about an hour or so, but… We'll need to be prepared to rough it a few nights."

"Then I'm glad we stocked up on gas along the way," he sighed, nodding a little. He stepped outside onto the porch with me, gripping my shoulder. "Edward, we'll head out ASAP. As soon as we get some rest and some food in us, we'll be on the road. We're almost there, so just hang in there. We've made it this far, so nothing can stop us now."

"I know," I sighed, stepping back onto the driveway. "We can hunt at my parents' place. Maybe snag a deer. That'll be enough meat that you could smoke it to save it."

"That's what I was hoping you'd say," he replied, rubbing his hands together.

My dad had everyone gathered on my front lawn, but I gave him a nod, so he turned to face them.

"Okay, everyone. We're going just a bit farther. We'll get some rest, hunt a little, and then we'll be back on the road again. We'll do our best to scavenge what we can here, but I doubt we'll find much. Load 'em up."

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… FORKS! Oh, so close… If you're watching the timestamps, then you've figured out where we are next chapter. ;) And we'll be catching up with Bella for that…and Edward, come to think of it. It's what you guys have been waiting for. **

**The only question I wanted to answer was about Bob… Poor Bob. Not everyone can be saved, and not everyone **_**wants**_** to be saved. And Jim and Vikki were casualties, which unfortunately, they aren't the first…nor the last. **

**Okay, so Wednesday is the next update. Remember, all links are on my profile for FB, Twitter, and my blog to see pics. Until Wednesday... Mooches, Deb ;)**


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N… I'm sure anything I say up here is about to be ignored. LOL However, I wanted to give WARNINGS on this chapter…tissue, violence, etc. Just…be prepared. Okay?**

**I know you see the timestamp, which means we've reached the prologue, but we're seeing it from Bella's POV, so I'll dive out of the way. See me at the bottom…**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 11**

**BELLA**

_**Blackwood Lake, Washington**_

_Five months and ten days after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

"King me!" Freddie announced proudly, grinning up at Marcus, who pretended to be all indignant.

"I play winner," Janie called out, eyeing the checker board with a sharp, keen gaze.

Marcus was like an extra grandfather around camp. He'd taught the kids all sorts of "old-school games," as Jasper called them. Backgammon, poker, checkers, dominoes, and even chess, which wasn't as popular as the others.

"Who taught you to be so good at checkers?" Marcus asked my son.

"Mom," he stated firmly.

"What?" Angela sang teasingly in my ear as we started to get the fire ready for dinner. "You mean there's something he knows that wasn't passed down by Edward?"

Laughing, I shook my head. "Uh, no. Edward's not allowed to play games. He gets way, _way_ too competitive. Even Go Fish and Chutes and Ladders get him all riled up. Plus, it's the one game in which Freddie can truly beat his dad."

Angela giggled, shaking her head and shooting another glance at the table.

Freddie, Janie, and Lauren were getting a few games in before dinner. Jack had just finished with their school work. Seth had been with them, but he'd left right after with Jasper, Liam, and Jacob to check traps and get in a little hunting before it got too dark or started raining.

The camp was busy with as many people as we had now. Randall was still working on the spiked fence. Eric, Peter, and my dad helped him, as did Jacob occasionally. So far, it faced two sides of the tree line, but they eventually wanted it to go around the camp and portions of the lake. The Mallory girls didn't mind laundry duty, though Maggie and Sue helped them.

Marcus took over the gardening, having set up several rain barrels around camp. It wasn't indoor plumbing, but it was better than no water at all. Jasper and Seth kept us fed with wild game. Freddie, Janie, and my dad fished just about once a week. And we all had turns with security watches. We'd slowly settled into a routine. It wasn't perfect. It wasn't easy. But we'd learned to cope.

There had been the small pack or two, but nothing too big. We'd stopped it before it truly started. And the other survivors that Jasper had seen hadn't been seen again.

I glanced up at the sky. The day was overcast, with much darker clouds rolling in from the distance. If I had to guess, the rain wouldn't hit us until later that afternoon or evening.

"Pretty ugly, right?" I heard behind me, and I smiled at Dad. "Let's hope it's just rain, yeah?"

"No kidding. Coffee?" I offered, pointing to the kettle on the fire.

"Sure, kiddo," he sighed, smiling when I handed him a cup. "This from that haul a couple days ago?"

"Yeah, I think so," I said pouring myself a cup as we walked to my porch steps and sat down.

Jasper and Seth had stumbled on a small cabin about ten or so miles from camp. The owners had obviously tried to settle in and hunker down, but it didn't work out. Jasper had heard the growls, hisses, and clawing from inside the house, though he'd said the stench alone told him what had happened. After drawing them out and killing them, he'd raided the cabin. All of it had been put to good use. Among the usual canned goods and supplies had been coffee, chocolate, beer, and whiskey. The two latter items may have resulted in their demise, considering Seth had said empty cans had been all over the cabin, but that was just my opinion.

Dad and I were quiet for a few minutes, just letting the sound of the kids' laughter wash over us. Angela had joined in on the games, as had Jack, who was probably using it as a teaching tool.

"You know what I miss?" Dad said softly out of the blue, smirking when I looked over at him. "The diner."

Giggling, I leaned into him. I felt him press a kiss to the top of my head. "All of it? Or just the pie?" I asked.

"Oh, God…_pie_!" he groaned like he was in pain. "I definitely miss pie…and ice cream. Cold beers at Shelly's while watching the game. Hot showers…"

"Hell yes, hot showers," I sighed, smiling down at my cup of coffee. "I miss…my cell phone." I wrinkled my nose at that but glanced up at my dad. "I do. It has videos and pictures on there I can't get back. Some go as far back as when Freddie was born; I just kept moving them over every time Edward would upgrade us or whatever. And everyone was just a text or phone call away."

Dad huffed a laugh. "Freddie being born…that was a day to remember."

Chuckling, I nodded. "I thought Edward's entire company would put the maternity ward on lockdown. Emmett alone scared the nurses half to death."

Dad laughed, shaking his head. "Damn, I'd never seen a man so happy to be a dad, except maybe me." He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, giving them a squeeze. "And we both ran frantic the day our kids were born."

"He was," I said through a giggle. "Seeing me in pain… He couldn't take it."

"No, no he couldn't," he agreed with a light laugh. He sobered quickly but shook my shoulder gently. "You still think…?"

I smiled sadly, shrugging a shoulder. It had been five months since I'd last heard Edward's voice on the phone in a panic. It had been even longer since I'd seen his face, been wrapped in his arms, and kissed his lips as he promised me he'd be home soon, that he'd be careful, and that he loved me more than anything.

"No, don't do that, Bells," he chided. "Don't give me the answer you think I want to hear. I know you hate the pity, kiddo. I know I was out of line with Jasper, that it's none of my business. Just… Tell me what you _think_."

"I think it's a long damn way from Florida," I stated simply, starting to get up, but he tugged me back down.

"Finish."

"I think it's a long way, and…" I sipped my coffee, but Edward's dog tags caught my eye, and I wrapped a hand around them. "I think…" I met my dad's gaze. "If _you_ could survive, knowing what you know, then imagine what my husband and Emmett and Carlisle and Esme could do."

I expected pity from him, simply because anytime my husband or his family were mentioned, people reacted as if I was in denial, like I couldn't face it. I could face the reality that was around me, but I had more faith in my family than that. To just assume they were dead seemed like a slap in their faces, a disgrace to who they were. However, Dad simply nodded, kissing my forehead.

We both heard the sound of Edward's truck. I'd told Jasper to use it, simply because four people couldn't ride on his bike. Randall tugged the gate out of the way just barely in time for him to pull through. Jasper was flying down the damn road.

The big black truck skidded to a stop, and Seth bounded out over the side, yelling, "We've been spotted…" He ran up to Dad and me. "They were on the same road and saw us. Two cars, dunno how many people, but they followed us."

Dad turned to me. "Get the older ones and the kids in the bunker. Now, Bella!"

I turned toward the table, calling Freddie and Janie. Peter and Charlotte were arguing, but I grabbed her arm. She was due any minute, so we couldn't afford for her to get hurt. Hannah shoved Lauren my way as well. I could hear my dad giving orders as I slammed open the door.

"Jasper, Jacob, you'll stand with me. Eric, I want you down and low on top of Marcus's RV, covering us. Randall and Angela, you'll take position at Bella's cabin; only show yourselves if you have to. Liam, Maggie, Hannah, and Jack…I'll need you to cover us from the woods and my cabin. Seth, I want you with Bella."

Seth nodded, trotting up the porch steps as everyone else got into their positions. I gave the bunker a quick look as I followed everyone inside, making sure Sue and Marcus had made it down into the bunker okay, along with Charlotte.

Before I closed the door, I said, "Stay quiet. We'll get you when it's clear."

"You be careful, Bella," Sue warned.

Nodding, I closed the trapdoor, rolling the rug partially over it. Joining Seth at the window, I watched as a car and truck pulled in through the gate.

"Bells, here," Seth whispered, shoving a rifle into my hand. "Take it. We'll cover them from here."

We both knelt to the floor, watching through a space between the window sill and the boards Jasper had nailed to the outside.

Dad stood between Jasper and Jacob. Not one of them drew their weapons, but Jasper's crossbow was strapped to his back, and Jacob had his rifle the same way. However, my dad stood calmly, gun belt on, arms crossed, and completely emotionless.

There were six of them, from what I could see. Four men and two women. All of them got out of the vehicles, walking to my dad.

"This could go really bad," Seth sighed, shaking his head. His eyes didn't leave the scene on the campgrounds, but he kept talking softly. "See the girl…younger, with hair color like yours? And the guy with the blond hair?" he asked, giving me a quick glance. When I nodded, he said, "They're the ones I gave the rabbits to that day Jasper and I caught that doe. Remember?"

"Okay…"

Seth tsked. "Jasper came back to tell Charlie about them. The reason we gave them the rabbits was because Jasper didn't trust them any farther than he could throw them. He said something about them was off."

"Like how?"

Seth swallowed but turned to the window. "I don't know. He just said his gut told him not to bring them back here. I mean, we're all about keeping people alive, but he _did not_ want them here."

The leader of the group seemed to be a middle-aged man with graying hair and broad shoulders. He had a slimy smile and an automatic weapon strapped to his back. In fact, all of them were carrying heavy weapons, almost military grade.

We couldn't hear what was being said, but I took in Jasper's body language and my dad's. Both seemed calm but tense. The people started back toward their cars, but one guy near my truck pointed inside the bed.

"What's in the truck?" I asked Seth.

"We snagged four rabbits and a wild turkey," Seth said, grinning my way. "That bad boy is my doing."

Grinning his way, I gave him a high five. "Nice job."

Our celebration was cut short, though, when voices were raised and weapons were drawn.

"I think the answer is no, asshole," I heard Jacob's voice practically growl.

Groaning, I shook my head but readied my weapon, as did Seth.

"Everyone needs to calm the fuck down," the leader ordered, standing with arms spread between our people and his. I noted he hadn't drawn his own weapon.

"You're not taking our food. We've already fed your people once," Jasper told him, pointing between the couple. "There's plenty of woods, plenty of game, and it looks like you got weapons to hunt."

"Oh, I don't think you understand, archer boy," the leader taunted. "We're not taking just your food. We're taking everything…"

When the leader pulled his automatic weapon to his front, my dad shifted, taking Jasper and Jacob with him. Bullets in rapid fire followed them all the way across the camp and underneath Marcus's RV.

Seth and I raised our weapons at the same time that Eric started firing. The girl with my hair color went down, and her boyfriend didn't take two steps before an arrow was lodged in his chest. I fired toward the leader, which made them all panic because bullets were coming at them from every direction. They scrambled for their cars, but I aimed for the leader again, finally nailing him in the leg. He hobbled to his truck, falling into the back as another guy got behind the wheel.

Two of their people were dead, and one was rolling on the ground holding his stomach, which had an arrow in it. The truck peeled out, almost backing into the lake, and the last remaining guy dove for the car. Bullets pinged off the trunk, shattered the back window, and destroyed a tail light, but it followed the truck out of the driveway.

"They just…left their people?" Seth asked, standing up.

"No honor among thieves, I suppose," I muttered, shaking my head. "If there's more of them, they'll be back, but not for their people."

"Revenge," Seth surmised.

"Yeah, or to finish what they started," I sighed, pointing to the trapdoor. "Check on them but don't let them out just yet."

When I opened the door to the cabin, it was to chaos. There were calls of clear, but there were also calls of names that went unanswered. My only focus was Jasper and Jacob…and who they carried between them.

"Dad!?" I yelled, leaping from the porch to the grass and running as fast as I could.

"Aw hell, Bella," Dad grunted, looking more pissed off than in pain, but there was blood staining the leg of his jeans. It was low, down on his calf, but still, it was red and seemed to be flowing freely. "I'm okay. It's straight through. It looks worse than it is."

They settled him down onto the picnic table. I took my knife from my leg, cutting his pants. Immediately, a rag was shoved into my hand, and I tied it just below my dad's knee.

"Get him into the cabin. We'll have Maggie look at him," I told Jasper, who nodded solemnly.

The light was slowly leaking away from the day, giving a pale glow around us. The smell of rain weighed heavily in the air, wet and cool.

I stood up, turning to Jacob. "We need everyone inside. Make sure to do a head count."

"We…um, lost Eric," he stated, rubbing the back of his neck.

Randall and Angela ran up from my cabin at the same time a piercing scream came from the woods.

"Shit, that's Hannah," Angela whispered.

"Dammit…where's Liam and Peter? Weren't they with her?" Dad asked, wincing when he tried to stand when gunfire echoed out of the trees.

"I'm on it," Jasper stated, smacking Jacob's shoulder. "C'mon, Jake…"

"Chief," Randall rumbled, wrapping my dad's arm around his big shoulders. "Let's get you inside."

"Those bastards will be back. They're…" Dad groaned, pausing his steps for just a second. "He said they had about twenty…"

"Yeah, and he coulda been lyin', sir," Randall argued. "We've got to—"

Maggie's heartbreaking cry for Liam and Hannah met my ears, and I knew what had just happened. She fought Peter as he pushed her toward camp, and Jacob and Jasper were right behind them.

"We lost 'em," Jasper said, pointing to Randall. "Get him inside. We've got a pack out there! The gunfire drew them in…"

Randall gave up guiding my father and finally just reached down and picked his ass up in order to get him into the cabin. The sound of growls, snapping twigs, and groans made my skin crawl. Even worse was the sound of Maggie's utter heartbreak as she cried out for Liam and Hannah again.

I could hear the walkers breaking through the trees, and when I turned to look, about ten burst from the woods, some catching on Randall's spiked fence and some getting pushed around it. They found their mark in the would-be thieves, who were still lying in the grass, and Eric, who I now could see had fallen to the ground from his perch on the RV.

"There's only a handful. We could do this…" Angela said, and I nodded.

Both of us raised our rifles, and Jasper loaded an arrow. We took out the few that emerged from the trees, and we stopped the ones from feasting on Eric and the bodies the thieves left behind. A large hand landed on my shoulder, and I looked to Randall.

"Let's cover Eric. We'll bury him come morning. We'll also pile up those walkers off to the side and burn them in the morning, too."

"What about…" Angela started, but Peter joined us.

"I'll help with Hannah and Liam. We'll put them all behind Marcus's RV."

By the time we'd piled up the walkers and covered our lost friends, nighttime was just about upon us, and the rain had started to fall. It was light and misty, but I could feel it in the air that it would grow heavier soon.

We started for Carlisle's cabin, hearing my dad's curses, but Jasper's hissed curse made me spin around.

"Headlights. Look," he whispered, pointing toward the driveway.

Bright lights flickered through dense trees, growing closer and closer.

"I want everyone inside. Lights out. Got me?" Jasper ordered, spinning Angela and me around and pushing us up into the cabin. "We've got company comin'," he announced once inside. "I want lanterns out, candles out. Maggie, if you're workin' on Charlie, take it down into the bunker. You can use the lanterns down there."

Once my dad was safely taken downstairs, I called Freddie to the trapdoor.

"Baby, I want you to watch over Grandpa while Maggie bandages him up. Okay? And make sure everyone stays quiet."

"Okay, Mom," he promised with a nod.

The trapdoor shut, killing the last of the light. Jasper was at the window on the left; Randall and Jacob were watching out of the window on the right. Peter was pacing. Jack was by the back window with Angela.

I stood next to Jasper, trying to see. Headlights beamed across the lake but didn't come far into the camp. It looked like three large vehicles, plus a few people milling around. Two large silhouettes ran for my cabin, but I couldn't see much more from where I was.

"Oh, my sweet God," Jack muttered, and I spun to see that he was looking out the back window. "Guys, we have a pack moving through. And it's…huge."

Jacob laughed. _Actually_ laughed. "Well, maybe they'll take care of the assholes at the gate for us."

"They'll still smell us, you fuckwit," I snapped. "If you can't hear…the rain's picking up."

"Yeah, well…your loud mouth ain't helping, princess," he countered, turning to Seth and then Jasper. "Just keep the bastards from breaking in."

The rumble of an engine and then rapid gunfire met my ears. Outside, I could hear yells and voices, not to mention walkers meeting an end. But one voice rang out above the rest.

"Watch for friendly fire!"

My heart stopped.

"No…" I whispered, shaking my head. "Edward?" I barely breathed the name aloud before Jasper's head spun to face me.

"You're one delusional bitch, Bella," Jacob chortled, shaking his head and firing a round at a walker right outside the window. "That motherfucker's dead…and good fucking riddance."

"Jacob, I will fucking kill your ass! I swear to God!" Jasper snapped, bringing his gun up.

"Jasper! Hold your fire!"

"Fuck me," Jasper muttered, reaching for the door. "She's right." When Jake started to argue again, he yelled, "Everyone…_stop_!"

The door swung open, and guns aimed in every damn direction. Two pointed inside, and three pointed out, though Jasper lowered his, giving Jacob a glare. I was aware that the handgun pointed at Jake was Emmett, but it was the other man stepping into the room who made me lose it.

I backed away a couple of steps as I took in the one thing I'd been hoping to see for the past five months.

_Edward._

"Bella," he rasped, and the mere sound of his voice was my undoing.

The gun in my hands fell to the floor. Tears blurred my vision, and my legs trembled. Before I could fall, though, I was wrapped in the one set of arms I'd missed so damn much.

"Edward?" I cried, gripping him with everything I had.

He was leaner but stronger. His face was scruffy, his clothes wet from the rain and stained from fighting. But he was there. He was real and alive and beautiful.

"I knew it, I knew it… I knew you were coming…" I rambled, pushing back so that I could see his face. "You're here. You're real."

His tired green eyes watered, and he barely nodded, but he turned his face to kiss my hand as words stumbled out of my mouth that probably made no sense.

"Where's Freddie?" he asked.

I was just about to tell him when the door burst open. I struggled down to the floor just as a handful of walkers tried to force their way in at the same time something outside exploded, lighting up the entire camp.

Edward fell forward when a piece of wood shattered from the door and hit his head. He shook his head as gunshots rang out, but I grabbed him as the guys tried to force the reaching walkers back outside.

Patting the side of his face, I made him look at me. "Edward?"

"I'm okay…I'm okay," he chanted, squeezing his eyes closed and shaking his head, but he stood up.

"This door's not gonna hold!" Randall yelled, and even with Emmett holding it with him, it was starting to bend forward, cracking down the middle where it had busted in.

"It _has_ to fucking hold!" I argued.

Jasper glanced over at me. "Actually, it doesn't. We can lead them away from here. They can't get at them." Another explosion rattled the windows. "Jesus, Ed…did you bring hell with you?"

Edward grinned briefly, eyeing the trapdoor, but Emmett merely nodded, saying, "Yeah, pretty much."

Edward ran to each window, looking out, only to go to the next. "Emmett, the only way to do this is to let the door fall and then push our way out. They've got a bunch rounded up over by the lake."

"Got it."

Jasper seemed to understand, and he turned to the rest of us. "As soon as that door falls, shoot every-fucking-thing you've got."

Grabbing up my rifle, I stood between Angela and Edward.

He leaned over and kissed me quickly, whispering, "Some welcome home party, Shortcake."

Shaking my head and aiming my gun, I merely said, "Oh, this isn't the party, Edward…"

**~oOo~**

**EDWARD**

My ears rang with the blow I'd taken to the head, but I'd live. I felt almost giddy at the fact that Bella was standing next to me. I wanted to wrap her up, kiss her and never stop, but the timing was all fucking wrong. We were trapped inside my dad's cabin, and we needed to get out in order to clear the camp.

Jasper's crossbow aimed out the broken section of the door, and he released it, loading another arrow and saying, "On three… Ready?"

He glanced around at us but then smacked the large, black man's arm. I hadn't recognized him at first, but now I remembered him from Forks. Randall. He and Emmett looked to each other and then counted down, jumping back from the doorway.

Bullets and arrows assaulted the zekes at the door, giving us just enough space to push through. Emmett and Randall took the lead, using their strength and size to push the assault back. There had to be ten of us in my dad's cabin, and unfortunately, I couldn't focus past the fight.

When we all were able to spill out onto the porch, everyone split off in separate directions, and I took in the camp to see what my group had done. They'd thrown a few of our diesel-filled bottles at what looked like two different herds, or maybe Sasha had split them up, but the fires burned, drawing in the idiot zekes, which caused a few to spread the flames. It also lit up the camp bright enough to see.

"Hot damn, if that ain't helpful," Emmett chortled, bringing his fingers to his lips and issuing a sharp whistle as one of the four-wheelers drove by.

It was my dad and Quinn, the former catching sight of everyone and smiling, but he turned to me. "Rose and Alice have the other four-wheeler. They've taken out a few with cocktails, but we've got more rolling in."

"Copy that," I grunted, taking out a fucker reaching up at me from the ground. "We've got to keep your cabin clear. And where's everyone else? Where's Sasha?"

At the sound of her name, my big girl bounded out of the shadows, teeth bared, head low, and growls shaking her entire body.

"Garrett's got Carmen and the kids in the RV…" Dad answered, and we both glanced over to see it surrounded by so many zekes that the fucker was rocking.

Rain poured down in sheets, and I wiped my face. "I got it! Go…and keep this cabin clear!"

I spun toward our caravan in time to see my wife – which was so very fucking surreal – shoot three times, taking out three zekes, only to take a fourth with a knife. Something about that scared me and at the same time turned me the fuck on, but I realized I shouldn't be shocked that she'd survived this shit. Running by her, I tugged her shirt sleeve.

"I need your help, and…" I trailed off, but she didn't wait for me to explain. I wanted to tell her I couldn't let her out of sight for just that moment, but she seemed to understand without the words.

We stopped in front of my Hummer, and I reached for the rifle I'd set on top, engaging it.

"See that RV?" I told her, and she nodded. "We've got people in there. Kids…"

"Oh, damn, Edward," she breathed, reloading her weapon. "How do you—"

"Just wait," I told her, looking up. "Sasha!" I called, and suddenly, the big dog was standing in front of me. "Separate!"

"Boof," Sasha pushed out, taking off toward the RV. Snapping at them, she ran low, fast, and just out of reach of the zekes all the way around the vehicle.

"As soon as she gets their attention, we'll have an easier time clearing them," I told Bella, who was watching with fascination. "Ready?"

"Yeah," she said, standing up as soon as Sasha had about a dozen zekes all focused on her.

Another bright flash of fire lit up everything around us, which actually helped us, and we shot down the bastards around the RV.

I pounded on the door. "Carmen, Garrett… You guys okay?"

The window flew up, and Garrett's face loomed in it. "We're good, son."

"Good, then stay put for now. You're as safe as you can be, but take this," I told him, handing him my .45.

"Edward, wait!" Tanya called. "Here!"

The door flew open, and my crossbow was handed out to me, complete with all my arrows.

"Half Pint…close it and stay inside!" I ordered, waiting until she did as I said, but I could hear the cries from Felix and Irina inside.

The four-wheeler with Rose and Alice skidded to a stop in front of us, and Rose hopped off. "It's a bitch to see out there. We need to get these headlights on…"

She rushed to my Hummer, turning on the headlights, and Garrett followed suit with the RV. Alice ran to my dad's truck and did the same. It helped tremendously. I could see that most of the east side of the lake was clear, with a few stragglers stumbling in, but the north side of the lake, the side the cabins were on, had some still wandering through. Gunfire popped off here and there, but I could tell it was slowing down. I heard people yelling at each other, working together to clear the camp.

"Lose the four-wheeler, Rose. We'll work a sweep on foot," I told her. "We've just about contained it."

It seemed to take forever for the growls to stop, for the sound of bullets and yells to come to an end. We walked slowly around each cabin, finishing off zekes that were still wallowing around on the ground. Someone had already started a zeke bonfire, which gave off enough light that we could kill the headlights of the vehicles.

Bella and I worked together, not saying much, but we were just about to make our way back toward my dad's cabin when three zekes stepped from the shadows between our cabin and his. One caught Bella off guard, taking her to the ground, but I put an arrow through his head, yanking his ass off her. She rolled over, aiming my gun from my nightstand, the one I'd noticed was gone from the house in Forks. Two shots, two thumps to the ground from behind me, and I smirked her way.

"Damn, beautiful. I needed you with me all the way from Florida," I told her, helping her to her feet.

As soon as we were upright, she wrapped herself around me. Suddenly, everything came pouring out of her. I backed us to the steps of our cabin and sat down, pulling her to my lap sideways as we stumbled over everything.

"I missed you so much…"

"I can't believe you're here. All of you…"

"I love you, Shortcake. Nothing could stop me; just ask any of them."

"I have so much to tell you… I love you…so much!"

"Me, too."

"Boof," Sasha chimed in from beside me, making me chuckle.

"Bella, I'd like you to meet the only other girl besides you who's stolen my heart," I said through a chuckle as Sasha licked my face and then Bella's.

"Oh yeah?" Bella asked, roughing up Sasha's big head as she sniffled and smiled at the same time.

"Yeah," I sighed, looking at the big dog to Bella. "She's saved my life more than once."

"Well, then, she's…_most_ welcome," Bella crooned, getting more licks as Sasha wriggled excitedly.

"Bells!" I heard Jasper call, and we all looked up to see him just as covered in shit as the rest of us. "I think we're clear. One or two may be out there, but they won't be a big deal. And the rain's letting up a little."

Bella nodded and stood up, grinning. "I'll be right back, then."

I wanted to follow her, but Jasper stepped in front of me. "She… I… Sweet fuck, am I glad to see you guys!" he finally blurted out, pulling me in for a rough hug. "Goddamn, she never stopped thinking you were coming. I didn't…"

"It's good, man." I patted the side of his face. "I owe you…for her."

"Not just her, Ed," he said with a shrug, backing away as he smiled a little.

Behind him stood Bella, but it was the person at her side who made me fall to my knees. "Jesus, Freddie…" I barely whispered, tears forming in my eyes.

"Daddy!"

My God, it was the sweetest sound aside from Bella's voice I'd ever heard. Even better was the feel of my son in my arms again. I stood up with him wrapped around me, and I buried my face in his neck. He still smelled the same but with sweat and dirt and little boy all over him. He was the sweetest smell in comparison to what was around us.

I felt arms go around me, and I pulled back to see Bella with tears welling up and falling down her face. I cupped her cheek, wiping away one set of tears, only to give up and kiss her.

"_This_ is your welcome home party, Edward," she whispered, grinning when I snorted and sniffled at the same time.

"I knew you'd come, Dad!" Freddie said, beaming at me like it was Christmas fucking morning. "Mom and me…we just _knew it_!"

I hugged them both, just relishing the feel of them, the smell of them. Pulling back, I kissed Bella again, whispering, "Sorry I took so long. I got a little held up."

Bella giggled sweetly, which was music to my ears, grabbing my face and kissing my lips roughly. "Late is fine, Edward. Better late and safe than not to arrive at all."

Suddenly, hands and arms encircled us, and my Bella squealed at the sight of my mother and father, and they yanked Freddie from me, smothering him in kisses. Bella got swept up in a hug by Emmett. There were new faces and some introductions, but it was damn late, and some shadows held back. However, those who were friends and family came forward. I felt a firm grip on my shoulder, and I turned to see Charlie, looking older than I remembered.

"I'm glad you guys made it, son," he said, and I could see his eyes flicker to his daughter. He shifted on his feet, and I glanced down to see his leg was bandaged. "I didn't think you'd… Bah, it doesn't matter. We've got some things to go over, and we lost some people tonight, but it looks like we gained some new faces. Welcome home, son."

Freddie came back to me, and I scooped him up, only to wrap an arm around Bella. I glanced around to see everyone – my group and theirs – watching us.

"I'm sorry…for who you lost. We…lost people too along the way," I said, frowning. "We're here, and I'm not going anywhere, so…"

My dad walked up to Charlie, reaching for his hand. "Just tell us what you need, Charlie, and we'll do it."

Charlie's mustache twitched a little. "Not now… In the morning. It's been a long damn day. We'll leave clean-up and stories for tomorrow."

Replies of, "Sure, Chief," were called out, and I nodded his way as Bella hugged me tighter when our boy yawned widely.

Freddie turned my face when everyone started to walk away. "I've got lots to tell you," he whispered, looking a little like Bella, which made me smile.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah, lots!"

I kissed Bella's lips, then my son's forehead. "You know what, buddy? Me, too!"

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… The End… I'm so kidding… ;) I know some of you were worried that reaching the prologue would be the end. It's not. There's more to come. Promise. In fact, it's looking at about 20 chapters – give or take. **

**From this point on, the POVs will split between Edward and Bella. And honestly, these two deserve a chapter all to themselves, which is coming next. You all can let out a long-earned, totally relaxing breath. He's home. ;)**

**Sarge's Girls, JenRar, and myself made it through the first round of voting for the TwiFic Fandom Awards. The second round of voting is underway, and the link is on my profile if you want to take a peek at them. :) Thank you for getting us this far! **

**Things in my life have erupted into some pretty stressful stuff, so as of right now, I have to say that Sunday's posting is iffy. I'll try to make it up to you, but it is quite possible that I won't be able to post until next Wednesday. I will let you know; just bear with me. Until next time… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N… I owe so many a huge thank you… I honestly don't have words for the love and support that was aimed my way. I'm doing my best to calm down the chaos that is my life. I love and thank each and every one of you. I'm in awe of this fandom, the sweet words, and the support I wasn't expecting. **

**Okay, so since I pretty much strapped you to the emotional rollercoaster last chapter, you can take a breath, let it out, and settle in with just Edward and Bella. This picks up just after Edward's arrival and the huge fight, so I'll let you get on with it. **

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 12**

**BELLA**

_**Blackwood Lake, Washington**_

_Five months and eleven days since Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

"I've caught lots of fish, Dad," Freddie rambled. "And Jasper taught me and Janie how to shoot. And Grandpa Charlie showed up…"

I walked by Freddie's room with a bucket of heated water for the bathroom; Edward and I both needed to clean up a bit now that the fight was over. But I was barely able to contain everything I was feeling. It was late, there would be so much to do the next day, but to hear my son's happiness, to hear Edward's appeasing hums…it felt like a dream.

I set the bucket by the sink and then walked back into the living room to see Angela and Janie coming in the door.

"I didn't know if…" Angela started, grimacing a little.

Smirking at her, I shook my head. "Just because he's here doesn't mean I'm kicking you guys out on the street."

Angela chuckled but looked up when heavy footfalls thumped into the room. "I just wasn't sure, Bella. That's all."

"Edward, this is Angela and her daughter, Janie," I introduced. "They've been in the spare room since we got here."

I could see he was exhausted and probably a little overwhelmed, because I knew I was. But he smiled a sweet, soft smile, shaking their hands.

"I'm not here to disrupt anything," he said, shooting a wink my way. "There's plenty of room."

"Thanks," she whispered, telling Janie to go get ready for bed. She looked back to him. "I'm…um… I'm glad you made it okay. It's nice to finally meet you."

He grinned, and it was beautiful and kind. "You, too."

She swallowed nervously, something that was rare with her, but tears welled up in her eyes when she met my gaze. "We lost Jack…tonight. I didn't know until just now. Randall did a check, and I guess he got lost in the big fight, so they just found him… That makes four."

"Okay." I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands and nodded at the same time. "Dammit," I sighed, my voice breaking. I jumped when warm, strong arms wrapped around me, and I melted into Edward's embrace. "Four…"

"Shh," he hushed me. "I'm sorry, Bella."

I shook my head, hearing Angela's door click closed.

"I didn't think you lost so many…"

Pulling back, I sighed. "We lost three today…earlier, before you guys got here. We had some…bad people show up – survivors who were trying to take stuff. That's who we thought you were and why we were hiding. There was a fight, and it drew in a small pack."

"How many have you lost total?"

Snorting humorlessly, I said, "Now…six."

"Six?"

Sniffling, I swiped at my face. "Yeah, you only knew two of them. Eric…and Billy."

"Oh, damn," he groaned, gripping his hair and then rubbing his face.

"Edward, I…" I started, and he waited, looking down at me. His eyes were a warm, deep green as his gaze seemed to rake all over my face. "I want to do this…this catching-up, trading-stories thing, but…"

He grinned, hugging me close and kissing my forehead. "Me, too, but we need to clean up and get some sleep. Freddie fell out mid-sentence, mid-yawn."

"Oh, I'm sure," I said with a light laugh and then pointed to the bedroom. "I brought a bucket of warm water to the bathroom. It's all yours."

He shook his head. "You go ahead. I need to grab some stuff out of the Hummer."

I laughed a little. "Only you and Emmett would steal an Army Hummer."

A crooked grin flashed quickly as he shrugged. "We had _two_." He held up two fingers. "Go on, Shortcake. I'll be right back."

Taking a lantern into the bathroom, I eyed myself in the mirror. There was filth and blood all over me. I stripped down, bathing with soap, the warm water, and a cloth, finally pulling on fresh clothes. When I stepped back into the room, Edward was sitting on the edge of the bed, Sasha was asleep and twitching, as if she were already in the middle of a dream,on the floor under the window.

"You mind?" he asked, pointing to her. "She's… She usually stays with me."

"No," I said, smiling down at her. "I don't mind."

She was beautiful, big and black and sweet. But I'd seen her with him; she absolutely adored him, protected him fiercely. I'd give her anything in thanks for keeping him safe – a spot on the floor was a small, easy thing.

"Did…" Edward started but frowned down at the floor before standing up from the bed.

When he didn't finish and started for the bathroom, I stopped him. "Did I…what?"

"You haven't slept in here, have you?" he finally asked so softly that I barely heard him. "I just… It looks…"

"I did…for the first few nights, but…no," I told him honestly. "I mostly slept with Freddie…or on the sofa." His smile was sad but relieved, too. "I couldn't; it hurt too much, Edward. And no one else slept in here, either. Dad would sleep on the couch occasionally, but he stays in his own cabin most of the time."

Edward nodded silently, reaching down into a duffel bag to grab out some clothes, and then he stepped into the bathroom. I slipped into the bed, smiling down at the dreaming dog. Her whiskers twitched, her feet shuffled, and her breathing picked up. She suddenly sat up, glanced around, and I scrubbed her head, toying with her ears, which she seemed to like.

"Thank you," I whispered to her, receiving a snuffling lick to my face before she curled up on the floor beside the bed.

I had to have dozed off at some point, because I snapped awake at the feel of the bed shifting and warm arms wrapping around me.

"It's just me," Edward whispered against my cheek.

Rolling over to face him, I smiled, reaching up to touch smooth, freshly-shaven, clean skin, not to mention bare chest and lean, newly-defined muscles. "Oh, _now_ I remember you…"

He chuckled, pressing his forehead to mine as his hands roamed, cupping my ass a little over the boxers I was wearing. "You mean, you didn't before? I was just some…stranger you're letting in your bed?"

"Meh," I scoffed, shrugging a shoulder, but I squirmed closer, tangling my legs with his. "You seemed familiar enough," I teased him, loving the easiness that had returned.

Long, calloused fingers slipped down my face, across my throat, to the chain around my neck. Even by low lantern light, I could sense the question, but I watched his face take in his name. The clink of metal as he turned the dog tags over in his hand was sort of loud in the room.

"Your son put those on me," I whispered, my eyes never leaving his face. "We'd had a bad day that day." I quickly told him about the pack and having to shoot Billy, one of our own, who had turned, and Freddie's meltdown after shooting a walker in order to save me. "So…everyone thought we were crazy or in denial, but we kinda stuck together. We kept our faith just between us."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," I said, laughing a little, which made him smile. "We were right. I'm kinda on cloud _I-told-you-so_ nine right about now. There are one or two people I'd like to gloat to."

"Me, too. I knew the possibility," he started softly. "The closer we came, the more we saw, the bigger the possibility was that you'd be… But I had to _know_. I had to get here to see for myself. And now, it doesn't seem real, and it's certainly not fair. I'm no better than anyone else out there who lost family, but I'm one lucky son of a bitch right about now…"

"Shh, Edward." I placed my fingers over his lips, recommitting his face to memory. The tiny scar from the fight he'd had with Jacob was still there on his bottom lip. There were deep purple circles beneath his pretty eyes from lack of sleep, not to mention stress and worry. There was a brand new scar across his brow, following the arc of it, which caused me to frown a little as I traced a finger gently over it. There was another one just inside his hairline that was new to me, too. "I think we're both pretty fucking lucky."

His hand that was still toying with the chain around my neck gave a gentle tug. My lips practically smashed into his, and what started messy and a little awkward slowly settled down into…us. The kiss was easy and perfect, and I'd missed it so much that my hands gripped him, my leg squeezed him closer, though never close enough, and tears leaked from my eyes.

"I missed you…so much," he mumbled against my mouth, sounding just as crazed as I felt. "To think of you…hurt, but I'd dream about you…about Freddie anyway. And I'd wake up to the real shit…"

"I know. I get it. It's why I couldn't stay in this room," I said, rolling onto my back and bringing him on top of me as his lips never left my skin – my cheek, my neck, my mouth. He settled between my thighs, and I moaned at the feel of him…the weight, the warmth, and the bulge pressing always perfectly where it should. "God, I missed you…here."

I felt the sweet yet cocky grin against my throat when he pressed his hips into mine. "Where?"

A wanton moan combined with a breathy laugh escaped me. "Yeah…"

"Jesus, Shortcake… I want…"

Grabbing his face, I pulled at him almost forcefully in order to look him in the eye. "I'm not…protected anymore, baby." I wrinkled my nose a little. "There's not exactly birth control growing on the trees out there."

He grinned, and it was happy and silly-sweet. "Good thing Emmett's a fucking horn-dog, then…"

He pushed himself up off the bed, and I licked my lips at the sight of him – boxer briefs tented sexily, his body shape all newly cut and toned but still lean and long, and the sweetest ass I'd ever had the pleasure of putting my hands on – as he bent to his bag to pull out a box of condoms.

My giggle couldn't be contained if I tried. "Seriously?" I whispered, trying to keep it down from the room next door. "Who? Which girl?" I tried to think of everyone I'd seen, but the night was a blur.

"Rose," he chortled, rolling his eyes and shaking his head as he set the box on the nightstand. "The blonde. He's a ruined man. And these…" He held up one foil packet. "These are the easiest to find out there."

Edward slipped back beneath the covers, whispering, "Just like old times, Bella. We have to stay quiet." He brushed my hair from my face. "You're still…_so beautiful_."

"I love you" was all I could get out before I had to kiss him again.

He kissed me fully, giving into everything. Edward tended to hold back until he felt like he could just…let go. Tongues danced together, tasting, relearning, reuniting. Hands grasped and pulled, pushed clothing away, and skimmed over places we knew by heart.

Edward reached for my shirt, tugging it off, but he trailed kisses up the chain around my neck. "I want you to keep these on. Always. I like my name on you."

Tears welled up and my chest constricted when I nodded. If he only knew that was the main reason I wore them, but I simply whispered, "Okay."

When we'd finally freed ourselves from underwear and shorts, I took the condom, ripped it open, and rolled it down over him, guiding him to me as he braced a hand beside my head.

"You have to stay quiet," he warned, his mouth quirking up into the lazy half smile I loved completely. However, it was Edward who moaned long and deep into my neck when he slipped fully inside of me. "Christ Almighty," he ground out through gritted teeth. "It's been so fucking long since I felt this good."

My breathing faltered when he started to move. We kissed each other to stop sounds, smothered them against skin and lips and ears. The frantic feel dissipated, leaving slow, even thrusts. Edward's eyes squeezed closed as he drove into me in a steady rhythm, whispering about love and missing me as we slowly grew closer and closer to the edge. When he vowed that he'd never leave me again at the same time his fingers found my clit swollen and sensitive, I had to bite down on his shoulder to keep from crying out. The release caused an overflow of emotions to erupt. Tears and sobs escaped me against his skin as I pulled him as close as I could. His own release was heavy, a string of hissed curses buried into my neck as he finally stilled.

When he pulled back, I saw his own tears had spilled, and I cupped his face, wiping them away.

"We're okay. You're home, Edward. You're home…it's okay."

Nodding, he rolled to the side, removing the condom and dropping it into the garbage can. Wrapping an arm around my waist, he pulled me close. He brushed kisses across my lips, nose, and forehead. "I'd do it all over again to get to you, Shortcake. You've always been worth the fight."

"Shut up, Edward. You don't have to."

He smiled. "Sleep, baby. I'll be here when you wake up."

**~oOo~**

**EDWARD**

Faint noises got my attention, some close while others seemed far, far away. The bedroom was still dark, though some gray, dreary light was squeezing through the boarded-up window.

The feel of smooth skin sliding against mine made my senses come alive. I glanced down to see the prettiest thing I'd seen in a long damn time. Long, dark curls spread out behind Bella, and my gaze fastened on creamy skin and pouting lips – lips still bruised from the night before. My old, expired dog tags clinked somewhere below the sheets, causing me to smile but wonder about them. I had a feeling there was more to it than just Freddie putting them on her.

Rolling to my side, I reached out to tuck a lock of hair back behind her ear. Just watching her sleep didn't even seem real. It felt like a dream. I'd busted my ass – I'd driven the entire group to the point of exhaustion – just to get to this place. The fact that she was alive, that Freddie was alive and healthy, was something I'd never, ever take for granted. I was a grateful man.

The sound of camp coming alive met my ears, as did the rumblings inside the cabin. I heard my son, up and raring to go, but Angela seemed to know we weren't ready, so she coaxed him outside with her and her daughter. She even let Sasha outside with them.

"She's a smart, smart woman," Bella muttered, her eyes still closed. "I love her even more right now."

I chuckled, leaning in to kiss her forehead. "We have to get up eventually, Shortcake."

"Mmhm…five more minutes," she mumbled into my neck as she snuggled in closer.

Grinning, I held her tight because "five more minutes" always meant at least thirty to forty-five minutes more. And I had a feeling Freddie wouldn't be held off for long. He never was, and this time would be no different, especially given how long it had been since we'd all been together as a family.

Inhaling deeply the scent of her hair, I noted it smelled different. It wasn't the fruity scent she used to use, but she still smelled like home.

"Where'd you meet her?" I asked softly, unable to keep my questions at bay. I wanted to know everything I'd missed, everything that had happened to keep her alive.

Bella smiled against my neck, pressing a kiss to the skin before pulling back to look up at me with sleepy-sweet eyes. "You want to do this now?"

Brushing her hair from her face, I settled closer to her. "I'd rather _we_ do this now, just us, and then face everyone else and their questions."

It was how we'd always worked, especially when I'd been gone for tours overseas. We'd always escaped, talked it out, focused on us again after being apart.

"We found Angela and Janie on the 101 coming here. They'd been trapped for days; her husband had turned…he'd been bitten," Bella said, but she paused, shaking her head and reaching up to trail her fingers across my face. "Forks got really bad about a month after you'd called me," she began, wrinkling her nose a little. "I kept telling everyone that we needed to go, but martial law had kicked in and they really weren't letting anyone out of the county. A couple days before we left, all of it fell. There were infected people everywhere. The soldiers had left or been turned, the streets were crazy, and we'd boarded up every window just to keep away from them. Jasper and Dad were pretty adamant about staying, fighting. And they did for a bit, but I finally put my foot down and said I was leaving with Freddie, that I was keeping my promise to you.

"It caused a big fight between Dad and me, but the day before I was going to leave, he showed up at our house with Jasper and a whole truck filled with supplies. He told me that Seattle was on fire, that you'd been right, but that I wasn't to go alone." She paused for a second, and I kissed her lips just because I could.

"It was actually better that I didn't leave without them, because…we would've never made it just me and Freddie," she sighed, smiling sadly. "Dad sent me with Jasper, Jacob and Billy, Sue and Seth Clearwater, and Jack and Carol North."

"He didn't come with you?" I asked, and she shook her head.

"No, he couldn't. He wanted to, but he had a whole nursing home filled with patients that he needed to take care of, and he was hoping that someone would come to move them, but…" She shrugged. "There's no one _to_ come for them. He stayed as long as he could. He's only been here for about a month or so. He brought who he could with him, though – about nine people, although we've lost some. Jack and Carol are gone. Billy. Eric. Liam. Hannah. We lost Billy and Carol about a month after we got here. Maybe more. I don't know. Time seems…lost."

Her voice was soft, almost emotionless, but I understood it. She locked those sad, deep-brown eyes on me.

"I never stopped hoping you'd come," she finally said, her voice breaking a little. "I just…couldn't. And I had to stay strong, fight for Freddie. He was… Oh God, Edward, he's so smart and brave," she sobbed, shaking her head, but I wiped away her tears. "He was so damned determined to learn to shoot to be able to fight, to protect _me_. He's just…you all over. He actually got pissed off when I wouldn't let him have a gun. I'd wanted to wait until we got here…or maybe I was stalling. I don't know."

I sniffled and laughed at the same time. Her pride in him was palpable. Her love for us was practically glowing out of her.

She swallowed thickly, getting herself under control, before saying, "Anyway, we… We settled in here okay. Jasper and Seth hunt for us, trap. Billy had taught Janie and Freddie to fish the lake, and they've gotten damned good at it. Once Dad got here, he fished with them. Randall, Jacob, and a few others started building fences. Marcus – this elderly gentleman…you'll love him – he and Liam helped us with water. You know, rain barrels and stuff. Occasionally the boys will run across abandoned cars or cabins, and they'll salvage what they can, and Dad had brought more with him. Sue started a garden, but Marcus is the one who really works it."

"Your dad's in charge?" I asked, remembering how they'd looked to him last night.

"Yeah. It was Jasper, really, at first, but Dad's just…"

I huffed a laugh. "He's kinda perfect to be in charge, really. It suits him, probably comes with the whole cop thing."

She grinned and nodded. "Yeah. He stays so calm, too." Her smile fell, and she tucked her hair back, only to reach for my face. "I don't know what I'd have done without them. All of them. Jasper…he…he kept me from going crazy…Angela, too. One time, I completely lost my shit. I was glad Freddie didn't see it."

Gliding the backs of my fingers down her beautiful face, I asked, "What happened, Shortcake?"

"We… We were hunting…Jasper, Seth, and me. A pack came through as they were dressing the deer… There was a soldier among them." Her eyes met mine as tears streamed down her face. "I flipped the fuck out, Edward. I shot him and then…and then…"

"Okay, okay, okay," I chanted, pulling her completely to me. I wrapped my arms all the way around her. "I'm here. I'm okay. It wasn't me."

"That's what Jasper said, that it wasn't you," she mumbled into my neck. "He…he _made_ me look."

"Good, I'm glad," I whispered against her cheek. When she pulled back, I smiled at her, cupping her face. "You did amazing, Bella. With this place, with Freddie. All of it."

"I'm just glad you're here," she sighed, her forehead meeting mine before her lips dropped a soft kiss to my mouth. "I didn't think you'd… I had to believe. Otherwise, I'd have gone crazy."

"It was close," I sighed, settling her back to her pillow. "My turn, I guess. Huh?" When she nodded, I kissed her – long and deep – simply because I wanted to remind myself that the journey had been so fucking worth it.

I took a deep breath and let it out. "I… Emmett and I were sent to the base to give extra security. Mom and Dad went as medical volunteers, just in case. And boy, did they come through…" I snorted, shaking my head. "The storm hit the state hard. Really hard. Especially on the west coast…the gulf. But the east side had tornadoes…"

I told her about waking up in the medical facility, that it was just the four of us. "Jesus, Bella…there was _no one_ on that base alive, except for Sasha. And we found her in an apartment. Someone must've stashed her there to keep her safe, but…" I shook my head. "Emmett and I came really close to getting ourselves killed that day, but where we were and how the wreckage fell saved us. Then my parents kinda quarantined us in a wing away from it all. And we had to heal before we could leave, so we used the time to stock up, plan…"

I curled a lock of her hair around my finger, simply because I needed to touch her. "It took us over two weeks to get out of Florida alone. The place was insane. We were able to move a little easier once we started heading northwest. We found Rose and her sister, Tanya, just before we left Florida. The people they'd been with just dumped them off, leaving this kid, this young girl, inside a zeke-filled Wal-Mart."

"Zeke?" Bella asked with a chuckle.

"Emmett…I'll let him tell you that word's origin," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "Anyway…Wal-Mart…" I snorted, looking to her. "You know, it wasn't much different in there than before the virus…"

Bella giggled, shaking her head. "Keep going."

Grinning, I kissed her nose and told her about making our way between big cities, avoiding major highways. "We found Alice just before leaving Mississippi, inside this farmhouse. Her whole family had turned. She had a shit-ton of supplies – food and fuel, mainly – and gave it to us in trade to come with us." Grimacing, I turned to my Bella. "She's…young, baby. She's…kinda mad at me, too. She'll be an even more pleasant thing now," I muttered sarcastically. "She's…"

"Got a crush," Bella finished for me, smirking a little, but I could see the worry.

"Yeah, but… I…" I shook my head. "I told her no repeatedly. Rose thinks it's obnoxious, my mother said it was hero-worship, and Emmett laughs, although he knows I'm not trying to be mean, but…" My rambling trailed off. "I'm not making any sense, I know…"

Bella cupped either side of my face, kissing me softly. "It's okay. I get it."

Narrowing my eyes at her, I asked, "Who?" When she didn't answer, I started guessing. "Jacob?"

She snorted and then glared my way. "Uhh, hardly. He's just as _cheerful_ as ever, and he blames me for his dad, since it was me who shot him after he turned. He saw me do it. He won't say it out loud anymore because everyone threatens him, but I see it in his face. He really blames me."

"If not him, then…"

"Edward, please…" she whispered, looking down at my chest. "I don't want trouble, honestly… This will be… Jasper's developed his own crush, I think. I just… We'd stuck together through all of this, but…he's feeling…more. And I couldn't hurt him, but he… There would never be anyone but you," she finally sputtered out. "Even if something had happened and I knew or whatever… I'd only ever feel this way about you… It wasn't fair, and I told him that."

"Shh," I breathed against her lips, smiling a little. "He's always been attracted to you, Bella. I just beat him to the punch that night at Shelly's Bar."

"No!"

"Yes." I laughed, nodding a little. "I see we're still breaking hearts, Shortcake."

She sighed. "He loves you, Edward. And he'd never disrespect you, but I could see…things changed with him. He fights it; I see it, but I honestly don't think it's _me_. I think it's just all this…shit."

Nodding, I sighed. "Maybe it's all this shit, but I don't know. God, baby… You're beautiful and strong and sweet. That's a hard thing to ignore. Trust me. I don't like it, but I _get it_. It's something I've learned to live with since I fell in love with you." My chest constricted before I asked, "Is there a problem? I mean…"

"No! No, Edward. I…I saw his face last night, baby. He's so conflicted. He wanted you guys back just as much as me, but then…" She groaned, rubbing her face. "I don't want trouble between you two. I love you…_only you_. I did everything to discourage it."

"Ah." I smirked, toying with the dog tags around her neck, and she nodded. "Aw, Bella. Look at me…" I whispered, cupping her face. "I won't say anything, baby. Promise. Unless he steps out of line…"

"He won't." She narrowed her eyes at me. "Though, I reserve the same right, Mr. Cullen."

Laughing, I raised my hands in surrender. "Like I could stop you…"

She giggled a little. "That's right. Now… Keep going."

Grinning, I saluted her. "Yes, ma'am. Okay…where was I? Mississippi. After we left Alice's farm, we made it as far as Kansas before we needed supplies. Dodge City was…a mess. The town wasn't all that big, but apparently the virus hit all at once, so the streets were just swarmed. That's where we met Quinn."

I went on to tell her about Wyoming and the babies, which made her gasp and then smile. "You'd like Carmen," I told her. "She's a good mom, and those kids are just way too smart. Garrett had been watching over them, but he's in his seventies, so he knew coming with us was the best thing. We also found another couple – Jim and Vikki – but…we lost them in Portland."

I reached up to touch the scar over my eyebrow, and Bella gently pulled my hand away to trace it softly.

"I…I tried to save them, but…" I shook my head, looking away for a second. "Fuck, Bella, I honestly don't know who's worse… The zekes or the survivors. It's like some people have lost all reason, you know?"

"The survivors should _know_ better," she countered, frowning as she pulled my gaze back to hers. "The…zekes…" She grinned when I chuckled at the word coming from her. "Well, they at least have an excuse for being…savages."

God, I couldn't stop from kissing her if I tried. My lips met hers roughly, but I slowed us down a little, only to pull back and just…look at her.

"I had…no fucking idea if you'd survived, if you'd come here like I'd asked, but I kept going. I kept pushing all of them. I hardly gave them a choice in the matter," I started ranting. "I… Shit, I hardly cared who came with us, but if they did, they knew we were heading here. End of fucking story."

She grinned, running her fingers deliciously through my hair. "That's my stubborn husband."

I shrugged a shoulder. "I finally caught a glimpse of hope at home. I stopped in Forks, Bella."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Did you…"

"Oh, I got your note. Jesus, just knowing you'd left the house okay, that you'd been alive there. That meant…_everything_. Thank you."

"How's it…"

I shook my head sadly. "Forks is…no more."

"Hey," she whispered, kissing me lightly. "It's okay. Home…is here. Now. Home is where you are, where Freddie is, where all those people outside are. It has to be."

"I know," I sighed, pulling her closer and then finally rolled onto my back with her on top of me. "I know, Shortcake. Believe me. I couldn't give a shit where we are. Just having you here…right here is enough for me. I'm so fucking grateful…"

"Me, too." She leaned in to kiss me but grinned when the sound of the front door of the cabin met our ears.

"I'd recognize those footsteps anywhere," I said in a whispered chuckle. I patted her bottom. "C'mon. As much as I want to stay in this bed all day…"

"We can't. There's so much to do…"

She kissed me once more with a sweet smile and soft laugh before getting out of bed. We used some of the water from the night before to clean up a little and to be able to flush the toilet. Bella was dressed and armed by the time Freddie's patience had completely evaporated.

"Dad!" he yelled, bursting through the bedroom door just as I finally strapped my gun to my thigh. "That dog you brought… She's so freakin' _awesome_!"

Grinning, I couldn't help but scoop him up and toss him over my shoulder. "I know. She is _really_ awesome."

"We're keeping her?"

"Oh, yeah…we're keeping her."

Bella's giggle was soft, but I heard it. It was the happiest sound, one I used to live for, and I'd do the silliest shit just to hear it. I kept Freddie over my shoulder as we walked through the cabin.

We stepped out onto the porch, and there were more people milling around than I was used to, but they were all busy. The zeke cleanup was underway. Randall was driving my truck to load them and pile them up, and Emmett was using the four-wheeler with the trailer. The tables were full. Some people were just talking, some were preparing food.

My mother was looking at Charlie's leg where he'd been wounded the day before, and he glanced up to see us, smirking a little but pointing our way.

"You know," he started slowly, "there'll be no living with her now. She was right that you were coming, so she's gonna hold that over our heads forever and a day."

Grinning, I slipped Freddie to the grass and wrapped an arm around Bella's shoulders. "That's my girl. _Who's_ the stubborn one?" I asked in her ear.

She was wearing a shit-eating grin, and I loved it.

"I'll ease off in a month or two," she told her dad before kissing his cheek as he muttered under his breath. "How's the leg?"

"Sore…but Esme's fixin' me up," he told her, smiling my mother's way.

Bella hugged my mother, and they exchanged whispers like usual, Bella nodding in answer to some question. She went to my father next, who was eyeing a small garden with an older gentleman, giving him a hug, as well.

Rose's RV door opened, making me smile as Tanya came out, sleepy-faced, with her Irina shadow right behind her, followed by Rose and Carmen with Felix in her arms. The only one I hadn't seen was Alice.

"Bella," I called, waving her to me. "I'd like you to meet these ladies and the tiny gent."

"Okay," she said with a smile as they approached.

Rose was the first to us, and forgoing any introductions, she wrapped my wife in a hug. "Omigod, it's nice to meet you, Bella. I'm Rose."

Bella grinned. "You, too."

"This is Carmen," I introduced, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder, and Bella shook her hand. "That crazy man is Felix."

"Oh my goodness," she crooned. "Aren't you handsome?" When Felix gave her his toothy-dimply grin, my girl was done for, just like I knew she'd be when I'd first seen the chubby boy. "And who's this?" she asked, kneeling down in front of Irina.

"Irina," she answered. "Edward talked about you."

Bella grinned at the laughter but nodded. "Yeah, well, he's talked about you, too. All of you. Freddie and Janie are around here somewhere. They're about your age, so you won't be alone. Okay?"

"Okay," Irina said with a smile.

Tanya was quiet, but I pulled her to me, saying, "Today you're shy, Half Pint?"

She shook her head but smiled Bella's way.

"It's nice to meet you, Tanya," Bella said, looking to me.

"I'm…" Tanya started but faltered and blushed a little. "I'm glad that you're okay. We came as fast as we could for you."

Bella crooned, pulling Tanya in for a hug. "Thank you, sweetie." My beautiful girl looked at all of them, saying, "There's food and water…maybe even coffee. You can make yourselves at home here."

Rose nodded and thanked her, guiding everyone around the table, but her eyes met mine, flickering to the RV and silently telling me where Alice was. I only nodded and shrugged.

Gazing around a little, I caught sight of Emmett with Randall. They'd started a cleanup fire but had stopped, pointing to the fences. My eyes then fell to the far back corner of the camp. There were makeshift crosses, four graves in the process of being dug by Quinn, Jasper, Jacob, and a man I didn't know, and two mounds with grass growing. Six. They'd lost six damn people. And more from careless, guileless survivors than from zekes.

"Son, sit," Charlie stated, catching where my gaze had fallen. "I've got a feeling we're gonna have company again. We took out three of theirs before they ran out of here like a scalded dog."

"Boof," Sasha added, walking up to us, and I ruffled her fur.

"Nothin' personal, big girl," I told her but turned back to Charlie, who snorted. "And that pack was the biggest I've seen."

"Me, too. I think Seattle is empty, and they're hunting for food," he stated, which caught the attention of the few people around us.

My father sat down across from us, and my mother finished with Charlie's bandage and then took a spot beside Dad. Bella leaned against me, handing me a mug of coffee.

Charlie glanced between me and then my parents. "I'd like to be prepared. I'd like these people prepared, armed, and ready. They only saw who we let them see."

"Which wasn't much, Chief," Angela stated. "They saw you, Jasper, and Jacob. They have no idea how many of us were shooting at them."

"Yeah, exactly." Charlie agreed. "If they come now…" He gestured around the camp at all the people. "We have numbers."

"Numbers, but way too many ways to get in here," Dad added, glancing around with a grimace. "Everything's so open. Those fences are great against the zekes, but not…people." He pointed toward the fence line, where Emmett and Randall were removing zekes that had skewered themselves onto the spikes.

"You know, Jake's been talking about Lake Crescent," Seth piped up from the other table. "We've never had enough people to leave to scope it out, but…now we do."

Charlie eyed him for a second but then turned toward the graves, giving a sharp whistle. "Jacob, come over here for a second!"

"Well, this should be a joy," Angela muttered, making Bella snort and smack blindly her way. "What? He's just… At least he's not drunk; he's an absolute _peach_ when drunk."

I chuckled but buried it into Bella's upper arm. I really liked the woman. She was going to get along with Emmett perfectly.

"Jake, talk to me about Lake Crescent. What were you thinking?" he asked when Jacob joined us, though he stood away a bit, leaning on a shovel.

Jacob shrugged. "Really, for supplies. There are tons of hotels and lodges up there. It's not all that far, either. But…_heaven forbid_ we leave the camp short."

The jibe hit the mark it was meant for, and Bella flinched.

"Jacob, focus on someone besides yourself…just for a few minutes," Charlie drawled, much to my amusement. "Can you do that?"

Jacob sneered but nodded. "It would take a day or two and a rather large group, but we could scope out the area for supplies. Maybe even a safer location…bigger place, bigger lake… Not that I'm not grateful for _Camp Cullen_ or anything, but there's a group out there trying to take it, and this is open and easy to sneak in. There are so many of us that we won't fit in four small cabins and a few RVs much longer. A lodge, something big, something even gated…"

"You're free to leave _Camp Cullen_ anytime you wish, Jacob," Bella snapped, her lip curling in anger. "I think I told you that on the way here."

I chuckled, which only pissed the asshole off that much more, but he knew who was around him. He was outnumbered, outsmarted, and a minority with how he felt about us. If he said one derogatory word toward her, he'd be obliterated. And I honestly had no desire to hand him his ass my first day there. I was way too fucking happy to be home. Tomorrow? Maybe.

"Whatever," he sighed, rolling his eyes back to Charlie. "It would need scouting first. I've only been there a couple times, and that was years ago."

Charlie nodded, running his fingers over his mustache. "Okay… Well, we can't go yet, not until I'm healed. If we do this, then I'd like to go with the scouting party. Until then, we have work to do, and I'd like to start keeping a couple of people as patrols. Even at night."

"We can do that," my dad stated with a nod. "We did it on the road, so we can do it here."

I nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. And we have weapons."

"And you're trained," Seth added.

"Well, that, too," Dad conceded. "Though, anyone can be trained in weapons and fighting."

"Even you, Jake," Jasper drawled, slowly walking up to the tables. "You could use some discipline."

Jacob bit his tongue, which I found interesting, until Bella leaned to my ear. "Jasper punched him the hell out not long ago. My dad? He threatened to tie him to a tree. Same day, I think."

"Oh hell," I sighed, shaking my head, but I kissed her cheek and stood up. Looking to Charlie, I said, "We'll talk about that scouting trip a little more, but after your leg is healed. For now, we'll do what you need here." Turning to my cousin, I held out my arms. "Where do you need me?"

He grinned his lazy-ass smile. "Christ, everywhere. The graves are just about done," he said, the smile slipping off his face. "But there are walkers still left to burn, and the gate needs repairing. Oh, yeah…and more fencing…"

"There's laundry and water to boil…" Angela added with a giggle.

"Traps to check," Charlie piped up.

"Fish to clean…" Bella grinned, kissing my lips. "Anywhere, Edward. Just…pick your poison."

Grinning and cracking my knuckles, I nodded. "Fair enough. I'll get started, then."

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… For those waiting for a Jake ass-kicking… Rest assured, he's bound to screw up. Patience. LOL For those betting on whether Edward and Bella would disclose the crushes they'd endured while apart (ahem, firefighters. ;) )…you have your answer. Those two are way too honest not to tell it. For those waiting on an Alice/Bella type situation… Again, patience. I wanted to simply give our couple a chance to just be…even if it was just a few hours.**

**Edward's home, along with his whole group. Life has to adjust to all of it – more people, possible scouting trips, and life in general at **_**Camp Cullen**_**. ;) **

**Again, I want to thank you all for your love and support. Things may settle down for me soon. At least, I hope they do. I had some major changes that I'm trying to deal with, but my outlet, my escape is this…this thing we do. Reading, writing, playing and laughing with all of you…**_**that's**_** what gets me through the tough shit, so thank you for that. **

**I'm thinking Sunday's good to go, so we'll get back on track. Until then… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N… Again, I need to thank you guys for all your love and support. It just keeps coming! So big hugs back to you.**

**We push forward a few weeks with this chapter… And most of the time, the chapters will split POVs from now on. I'll let you get to it, see how everyone is adjusting to Edward and crew being home. **

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 13**

**BELLA**

_**Blackwood Lake, Washington**_

_Five months and three weeks after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

"We're gonna need some more firewood," Angela grunted as she poked at the glowing embers. "Winter is coming," she stated dramatically, grinning at my laughter. "Damn, I miss TV."

"No kidding," I said, still laughing and setting down the bucket of water. "There's some piled up behind each cabin. I'll go grab some."

"Thanks," she said, but we both turned at the squeal of laughter coming from the lake. "Oh my damn, Bella… You know, the whole time, I thought you were exaggerating about Edward, but no…"

Grinning, I shrugged a shoulder, watching my husband and son just being silly with Emmett and all the kids. They'd started fishing early that morning. Even my dad had gotten in on it, though he was still limping on that leg of his. He shook his head at Emmett using a cartoon voice for the worm, which made all the kids laugh.

My eyes fell to Lauren, who was fighting a smile at it all. She'd been lost without Hannah, though she and Maggie were leaning on each other through their loss. Maggie was still emotional over Liam's death. They'd sort of adopted each other, and both were watched over by Marcus.

The loss of four people the night that Edward and his group showed up had been hard on everyone. Jack was missed terribly, though Carlisle and Esme had stepped up to take on the tutoring, which now had more kids in it. It ranged from first grade, which was little Irina, to twelfth, which was the handsome young man, Quinn. Considering my background, I handled math classes occasionally. Angela was pretty good with English, and Garrett – the older gentleman who had arrived with Edward – was amazing with history. We all filled in when and where we could.

That went for other aspects of the camp, as well. Jacob, Jasper, and Seth tried their best to hunt at least once a week, even if it was to snag rabbits, ducks, or more wild turkeys. With the days getting colder, deer would be easier to find soon, but a longer hunting trip hadn't been discussed yet; neither had Lake Crescent.

Randall, Jasper, and Jake were adding to the spiked fence at the moment, just to be safe, though the military experience that came from Edward, his parents, and Emmett had given them another project – a fire ditch. It ran almost the length of the camp and a part of the lake. It wasn't deep, and it wasn't an elaborate thing, but it would stop vehicles from getting onto the campsite when lit. It was filled with small sticks and drizzled with diesel fuel. All it would take is a lit match to send a wall of fire along the east side of camp. There had also been another, bigger treetop lookout built on the driveway side of the camp, which was occupied most of the day and night. It was Rose and Carmen up there now.

They were a happy and welcomed addition around the camp. Rose was an anomaly – she looked like a damn model but could fight like a man. She was loyal to Edward and was completely head over heels for Emmett, though the feeling was mutual. I was glad. Emmett deserved someone as good as Rose. Carmen was quiet, shy, but sweet all the same. She was excellent at cutting hair – something that Edward hadn't even known. I was pretty sure all of us in camp had lined up to have her give us a trim, especially the men.

The only one I didn't know was Alice. She kept to herself mostly. She was smart and good with a gun, but she never said much…or maybe she was avoiding me, specifically. She kept lookout at night a lot, as did Jasper. Though, we tried to mix it up to keep it fair. I knew Alice's story through Rose, and my heart broke for her. I couldn't imagine what she'd been through, and I most certainly could understand how she could develop feelings for Edward.

My husband's deep chuckle met my ears, and I smiled at his praise of his son as Freddie caught another fish. Just seeing them together, happy, safe…it made my heart hurt with the love I had for them. I still woke up at night reaching for Edward, not believing he was there, that he was real. It seemed our alone time was never enough, but I knew that would ease up eventually. It always did when he'd return from a tour, so I tried my best to think of it that way, that he'd simply been away on a tour. Thinking about how far he'd come, the things he'd experienced, and the close calls he'd had scared the ever-loving shit out of me, so I focused on the fact that he was back – safe and sound.

Happy green eyes caught my staring, and he gave me the half smile I loved so much. When Freddie called for him, he broke his gaze from me in order to speak to his son.

"Sometimes, it doesn't seem real that he's back," I said softly to Angela, who smiled my way. "I'll get those logs for you…"

I walked between my cabin and Carlisle's, dodging clean laundry hanging in the sun on the lines strung between them. The stack of logs lined the back wall. There was plenty for now, but we'd have to chop more soon. I bent down to pick up a couple, only to have familiar hands grip my ass.

Smirking, I stood back up straight and glanced over my shoulder. "You shouldn't sneak up on an armed girl," I told him.

Edward's grin was shameless, his eyes dark as his hands gripped again, only to reach for my gun at the small of my back. "Oh, Shortcake, I surrendered to you a long time ago."

He set the gun down on the stack of wood in front of me, pulling me back to his chest. One hand flattened on my stomach while the other moved my ponytail out of the way. A moan escaped me when he tugged it just right in order put his lips, tongue, teeth to my throat he'd just exposed.

"What was that look out there, baby?" he whispered against my skin, nipping at my earlobe. "You looked at me like I was your next meal."

"Maybe you are." I giggled, reaching back to thread my fingers into his hair. His scruffy face scraped deliciously along the back of my neck as the fingers on my stomach shifted beneath my shirt. "Oh fuck…"

"Shh," he hushed me through a soft chuckle. "Tell me, Bella."

"I…" I started, but it morphed into another moan when he swirled his tongue beneath my ear.

"What was that?"

"You're evil," I huffed in a laugh, but my eyes rolled back into my skull when his hand slid between my legs. Despite the jeans I was wearing, he knew exactly how and where to touch me.

He smiled against my skin, nipping softly with teeth. "Tell me, baby…"

"S-Some… Sometimes, you don't seem real," I finally blurted out through gritted teeth, and immediately, hands and kisses stopped. I was spun around and set on top of the stack of wood, gazing up at serious and still very much turned on. "I'm sorry…"

Deep, worried green met my gaze, only to rake over my entire face as one of his hands cradled the back of my head. He stepped between my legs, using his free hand to grab my ass and pull me forward roughly.

"Do you_ feel_ that?" he whispered harshly, dragging his tongue along his bottom lip sexily as he pressed into me just the right way. "Do you? Oh, I'm real, Shortcake. I'm real and back and safe, and it's taking everything in me not to fuck you against this wall, if only because I just…_can. _I get it, baby. I do. Sometimes, I'll be working on the fence and freak the fuck out when I can't see you or Freddie right away. I really get it."

Nodding, I grabbed either side of his face, pulling him to me. We kissed like we'd never come up for air, like we'd never stop. Edward's tongue was claiming, and his hands were everywhere, seeking out skin. Teeth raked against lips, moans pushed out against cheeks, and hips moved over and over, and I thought I'd explode.

"How fucked up is it that I want you to come…just like this?" he asked roughly in my ear, pressing into me over and over. "I don't give a fuck if I do… I just wanna see you fall apart."

"Jesus," I hissed, shaking as he got me closer and closer to the edge. We hadn't made out like that in what seemed like years. The fact that anyone could walk up made me nervous and even more turned on than I'd expected. "Right there…there…"

His deep, humming laugh against my throat was evil and deadly, and God, I loved him, which came spilling out of my mouth in a chant when my climax hit me out of nowhere. Stars exploded behind my eyes, and I could feel Edward's smile against my neck.

"Evil," I reiterated, making him chuckle. "Evil and now…messy," I added with a giggle into his shoulder, because I'd felt him let go.

He smiled crookedly, shrugging a shoulder. "Worth it."

"Mmhm," I hummed, closing my eyes when his kisses didn't stop.

"Bella, I… I know it's been crazy, but… I'm here, I promise," he vowed sweetly, pulling away from my neck and pressing his forehead to mine. "I love you…so much. You need reassuring, then just…come smack me."

Grinning, I kissed him, and he let me control it, deepen it, though his hands were soothing along my thighs and lower back. The snap of a twig brought both of us back to reality.

We turned mid-kiss to see Alice standing there, only to spin and walk away.

Edward groaned, his forehead falling to my shoulder. "I should talk to her."

"Not now," I told him softly, running my fingers through his hair. He pulled back to look at me questioningly. "Aw, Edward… Just take it from a girl… She's really embarrassed right about now."

"You feel sorry for her," he surmised, brushing my hair from my face.

"I do. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was the one with the crush on you, and you were…oblivious," I explained. "That kind of crush hurts, whether the feelings are real or a part of something else or even just because the guy was a hot senior football player."

He grinned but backed up a little as it fell quickly from his handsome face, and he ran a hand through his hair. "But I can't change anything, Bella. I just…"

I slipped down to the grass, walking to him to cup his face. "I love you, and she may just need time, baby. That's all."

He sighed, shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

"Look at me, Edward," I said firmly but softly so we weren't overheard. "She was an important part of your group. I get that. You saved her. I get that, too. But she's also lost everything. And you…you got everything back. That's a tough pill to swallow when you're already pissed off at the world. Just…give her space. I trust you, baby, so…if you feel you need to talk to her, go ahead, but I think you should wait until this…" I gestured between us and then at the spot where he'd just made me come silly. "Wait until this isn't all smashed in her face."

He leaned forward, pressing his lips to my forehead. "Okay."

"Okay," I repeated, smiling up at him. "But…now that you're here… Help me carry some wood to Angela and Sue for dinner."

"Yes, ma'am." He saluted with a laugh, reaching for my gun and handing it back to me.

"Then you might wanna clean up," I suggested with a laugh.

We stepped back around with our load of logs, handing them over to Angela, and Edward dropped a kiss to my cheek.

"So worth it," he whispered in my ear.

My laugh was soft, but he heard it, shooting a wink my way before turning toward our cabin.

"You look like the cat that ate the canary," Angela noted through narrowed eyes, only to grin. "Good for you…"

We started to work on stoking the fire and preparing dinner for everyone. Sue joined us, and the conversation was light and easy. I glanced up when Peter helped Charlotte to the table. The poor thing was miserably pregnant.

"She's due any minute," Sue muttered to us. "In fact, she's dropped already."

Smiling, I nodded. "Esme's taken a look at her, says she's healthy and right on course."

"Oh, good," Angela sighed. "It's nice having doctors around. Nothing against Maggie – she's a great nurse – but still…"

Dinner was talkative and light. My dad discussed an extended hunting trip. Both Jasper and Seth volunteered, as did Quinn, but Jasper looked to Edward.

"I could use you, man," Jasper stated, and he looked to me as I leaned back against Edward's chest.

I flinched because it wasn't that long ago we'd had a conversation about whether or not I'd let Edward leave to hunt if he'd been there. My answer at the time had been that I didn't know, that to wish for Edward there was painful. But Edward _was_ there, and I still didn't damn well know. They'd be safe together; I knew that much. I also knew they'd be stronger and more likely to bring home something. However, the thought of him leaving, even for just a day, made my stomach knot up.

"Bella?" Edward asked softly, turning my face to his. "If it's too soon," he whispered, "then just say it."

"Oh, no. I'm not…" I huffed a humorless laugh. "You don't need my permission."

"It's not permission, Bella. It's…common courtesy," he argued.

"Twenty-four hours," Sue suddenly said, eyeing her son and then Jasper, but I could've kissed her stupid for that suggestion. "Just like before. No longer, no less."

"You know what?" Dad asked, smiling a little as he glanced briefly to Edward and me. "I agree. Twenty-four hours, you're back here, whether you've caught something or not."

I turned to Edward. "You want to go?"

"I think I could help. I've hunted with Jasper before, and we'll need the meat. There are so many of us now."

"Fine, twenty-four hours," I sighed, but before anyone could start planning, I pointed at Jasper. "But you'll mark exactly where you're headed on that map, and you'll not deviate from that area one damn inch either, Jasper."

"I wanna go with Dad!" Freddie suddenly piped up, and my eyes closed as fear washed completely over me.

"Shit," Edward hissed under his breath, but he pulled his son closer. "Not this time, bud. This is a quick run, nothing to be excited about, I promise. I _know_ you want to learn to hunt, and I promise you I'll teach you, but not this time."

"But…when?"

"Soon, Freddie, but not this time," he reiterated, tilting his son's angry gaze up. "Look at me, son. I need you here. I heard about everything you did before I got here. I need you do keep doing that until you and I can go hunting. Okay?"

Freddie's glare was fierce and angry, but I was sure that it was more than wanting to learn to hunt. He'd just gotten his dad back.

"Freddie," I whispered to him as the dinner table started to empty and Jasper pulled out the map. Looking Edward's way, I whispered, "Your dad won't be gone long enough to miss him, baby."

"Yeah, but…"

"No…no 'yeah buts,' buddy," I told him firmly. "If your dad's to teach you, you'll need more target practice," I told him firmly, but I needed a diversion. "That's my deal. Take it or leave it."

Freddie's face fell, but he nodded, looking to his dad. "Will you practice with me when you get back?"

"Absolutely," Edward vowed, leaning to kiss my cheek. "Thanks," he whispered.

"Mmhm," I hummed, narrowing my eyes on him. "You'd better—"

Edward smirked, kissing my lips. "I promise. Don't even finish that threat, Shortcake."

Nodding, I got up from the table to start cleaning up as everyone broke apart to settle in for the night, whether going to bed or guard duty, but we all heard the call for Esme from Marcus's RV.

"Charlotte's water just broke!" Peter cried in a panic, and a few gasps and then cheers rang out around us.

"Oh, hell," Randall said with a chuckle. "We're down a night guard."

I glanced around, realizing it was going to be just Alice and Jacob. Jacob would be walking the grounds. Alice would be in the tree, and Peter would've been with her.

Taking a deep breath, I said, "I'll do it."

"What? Bella…" Edward groaned, shaking his head.

"There's really no choice. Your parents are in with Charlotte. Rose and Carmen had duty up there all day. You and Jasper have to leave in the morning, so you'll need the sleep. Randall's been working on the fence all day. Emmett was up before dawn. One of them can relieve me in the morning, and I'll wait until you leave to get some sleep. It's simple and the only way."

We both watched as Alice walked away silently.

"See? Fun," I sighed, smirking at Edward's snort.

"Take the rifle with you, Shortcake," he said against my lips. "And I'll bring you guys a thermos of coffee for the night. Okay?"

"Thanks, baby," I sang, walking to our porch for his rifle.

**~oOo~**

Closing my eyes to the sounds of Charlotte in labor, I sipped the coffee that Edward had brought us. We'd been up in that tree for several hours, and not a word had been spoken between us. It seemed to be a battle of wills between Alice and me – something that made me smirk a little before gazing out over the camp and then the winding driveway.

"Jesus Christ," Alice groaned, rubbing her face before tucking her chin-length hair behind her ears. "She's gonna draw every zeke in from ten miles away. Is labor always so loud?"

I couldn't help but laugh, glancing her way. "Sometimes. I didn't exactly whisper when I had Freddie…"

There was just a bare hint of a smile that ghosted across her lips, but she didn't say anything.

"As far as zekes go…well, we'll just have to keep our eyes peeled," I told her.

She nodded, drawing her knees up and wrapping her arm around them. She flinched with another scream echoed up from Marcus's RV.

"Doesn't sound worth it…"

Chuckling at that, I turned her way. "Oh, but it is… All the pain is forgotten the second you wrap your arms around them."

As if perfectly timed, the piercing wail of a newborn met our ears, along with, "It's a girl!"

"Nice," I whispered with a nod, swiping at my happy tears. Peter and Charlotte – hell, the whole campsite, really – deserved one small moment of happiness. We needed something hopeful and good in the dark that surrounded us.

"I'm not sure I'd bring a kid into this shit," she muttered bitterly.

"Hmm," I hummed, neither in agreement or argument. "It's certainly risky. Though, in their defense, they'd been trying prior to the virus going global, so…" I shrugged, gazing over to see her staring at me.

"Would you?" she asked.

"I don't know," I replied honestly. "Edward and I had talked about having another child not long ago. He'd wanted to be out of the service, and I'd wanted a little more time with just Freddie." I shrugged a shoulder and then snorted a little. "I guess he's out of the service now…"

Alice huffed a laugh. "Yeah, he said he was close."

"He was," I concurred, nodding a little. "He had one more year, and he was going to leave the military and work for his cousin, Jasper, in construction. Emmett, too."

I felt her stare from across the tree top platform, and when I looked over at her, she sighed deeply.

"Did you really trust Edward was coming?"

Wrinkling my nose, I nodded. "I had to have faith in _something_. I'd lost it in just about every other aspect by the time the virus truly hit, but I could trust Edward's warning, his love forFreddie and me."

She laughed softly and humorlessly. "Yeah, he said the same thing. That you would've listened… He had to put you out of his head in order to focus."

Smirking at words meant as a jibe, I nodded again. "I can understand that. It's how he's always worked when he would go overseas. He'd black out everything but the task at hand, the mission, at staying safe. He'd release it all over the phone or in letters, even more once he was home. This time, though, he couldn't do that. I imagine he got a little…cranky."

Alice laughed, having to cover her mouth with her hand in order to keep it from being too loud. "Yeah, you could say that."

Smiling, I shook my head. I knew he'd gotten temperamental, simply because he'd told me bits and pieces, but Rose and Emmett had ratted him out, too. It had all been in good fun, teasing Edward, but I knew my husband had been out of his mind with worry and stress, and the responsibility of more lives on his strong shoulders probably hadn't helped.

"He's…" Alice started, looking out across the trees. "He… He kept us all alive, even when he was dying inside," she said softly. "I owe him and the rest of them a thank you. But I owe Edward an apology. I owe _you_ one, I think… I pushed him. I—"

"No you don't," I countered, smiling a little when she spun her gaze to meet mine. "He values you as a member of his group, which makes you important here, too. He told me what happened…" Her eyes widened, but I chuckled. "Well, that, too. But he told me about your home, your family. I'm sorry."

She nodded, and for the first time, I saw a crack in the wall she'd built up around herself. Her face was hidden by her hair as she gazed down at her hands in her lap. She swiped at her tears, and I left her alone for a moment, gazing out over the camp. My eyes looked for Jacob, but I couldn't see him, so I used the scope on the rifle. I found him strolling slowly around the cabins, sipping from his canteen. My eyes narrowed, wondering if somehow that wasn't water he was guzzling.

"What is it?" she asked, sniffling.

"Oh, I was just checking on Jake," I muttered, looking over at her. "You okay?"

She nodded. "I wanted to hate you," she said suddenly, and her honesty made my eyebrows rise up. "Sorry," she huffed with a slight smile. "But I see why they wanted to be here so badly. Why Edward was determined to get here. I shouldn't have pushed him. I was… I felt crazy after we left my house."

"Hmm," I hummed, nodding. "I imagine so. I lost my mind a little after my mom died. Car accident when I was sixteen. I was angry for a bit, then closed myself off a little. Though, I can't fathom what you're going through. Again, I'm sorry. But it's me who owes _you_ the thank you…" She looked to me, and I shrugged a shoulder. "You helped bring them home. I haven't had the chance to say thank you. You have no idea what that means to me. I'm forever in your debt. They're my family – Carlisle, Esme, and Emmett – and Edward's my heart. So…thank you."

"Yeah," she sighed, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, but she smiled tentatively.

We fell quiet for a little while. This time it was much more comfortable than before as we shared the last of the coffee that was now tepid. I watched over the camp as the night wore on. Esme and Carlisle finally left the RV, the occasional baby's cry meeting my ears. Jacob continued to pace a large portion of the area but eventually made his way over to us, looking up from the ground.

"You still up?" he snapped.

"You still sober?" I countered, raising an eyebrow he probably couldn't see, but Alice did and she grinned next to me as we looked down at him.

"Is that the ex? I've heard about him," she whispered.

"Hm, I bet," I whispered back with a laugh. "Emmett, Jasper, and Edward aren't exactly fans of his."

"You think you're funny, Bells," Jacob muttered, shaking his head.

"No, I think I'm right," I told him.

"What? You gonna tell _Edward_? Or maybe it's Jasper… Who knows with you…"

I laughed, ignoring his asinine accusation. "Nah, I'll let you sink your own ship in about…thirty seconds." I swung my legs over the side, kicking them back and forth as a shadow I'd recognize anywhere stepped out of a cabin and started our way. "Mornin', Daddy!"

Alice snorted into a soft laugh when Jake spun so quickly that he lost his footing a little. Even better was that the canteen in his hand fell to the ground at my dad's feet.

My father's mustache twitched before he bent down to pick up the canteen. He eyed Jacob as he took a whiff of the open container.

"Jacob, I'm willing to overlook a few things, son, but not the compromising of my daughter's safety, the safety of this entire damn camp." My dad was pissed as he dumped out the remaining liquid in the canteen, his sharp, dark eyes never leaving the tall form in front of him.

The sun wasn't quite up yet, but a few people started to stir. I saw Jasper emerge out onto his porch, stretching a little. I even saw my own cabin door crack open. When Rose's RV door slammed open and Emmett stepped out at the same time Jacob tried to push passed my dad, I knew I'd better hit the ground soon.

"Oh, shit…" I scampered by Alice, grabbing the ladder nailed to the tree and practically jumping down to the ground.

I turned just in time to see Jake's shoulder collide with my dad's chest, making him stumble back a few steps.

"Leave me alone, Charlie," he snapped, glaring at my dad when a hand halted his progress.

"Son, I promised your dad I'd watch over you," Dad countered solemnly. "I meant that."

"Yeah, well…no one watched over _him_ now, did they?"

I saw three forms heading for Jacob, but it was my fist that went flying. I'd dropped the rifle, but I caught Jacob in the mouth before pulling my handgun from the small of my back. He was always so damn tall, but I pointed the weapon straight into his chest.

"Say it again," I told him, slowly engaging my weapon. I could see that it was taking both Jasper and Emmett to hold Edward back. "Say it again, Jacob. That I didn't give a shit about Billy. Tell them all how I just…let him die! The _one man_ who apologized to me over and over about you. The _one man_ who guided us when we first got here. The _one fucking man_ who kept you human at every turn. The _one man _my father asked to watch over us. You think I let him die…_on purpose_?! Despite all our bullshit, Jacob Black, you really think I'd do that?! You think I'm that vengeful?"

"Pull the fucking trigger, Bella," Jake slurred, his lip curling in anger. "It's what you want, all of you…"

I snorted, glancing over to make sure Edward hadn't completely lost his mind, though he'd stopped fighting Emmett and Jasper. But it was my dad's firm hand on my arm that made me jump. He pushed my arm down, taking the weapon from me. Before any of us could blink, Edward shifted, a fist connecting with Jacob's face, making him fall to the ground on his knees.

"That's for being drunk on patrol, you stupid fuck," he snarled, landing on his chest hard with one knee. "Do it again, and I'll let her pull the trigger. You could've gotten us all killed!"

Emmett and Jasper moved as one, lifting Edward off Jacob before the balled-up fists could fly again.

Jacob sat up groggily, and I stepped forward, saying, "He'd been bitten, Jacob. There was nothing that could change that, and you know as well as I do that he'd have hated it. It was probably the hardest thing I'd ever done. You want to blame me…that's fine. But you're not going to jeopardize these lives around you… I've told you more than once that you're welcome to leave any time. If not, then suck it up and stop acting like a selfish ass."

I heard footsteps behind me, and Alice lifted my hand. "Edward, you should get your dad," she said, turning my hand gently. "Looks broken…"

Edward's mood shifted in an instant, going from puffed up and pissed off to worried and concerned. He shrugged off Jasper and Emmett, walking to me.

"Let me see, Shortcake," he whispered, taking my hand in his. "Can you make a fist?" he asked, and I did as he asked. It hurt like hell, but I could do it. "Not broken, but sore as shit, huh?" He grinned when I rolled my eyes up to his face, and he leaned in to kiss my forehead "That's my girl. C'mon, baby… I'll make sure you're okay before we take off."

"Right," I huffed, still feeling a little twitchy and looking to Jasper, who flinched a little. "Because Jasper's been _waiting_ for you to go hunting…"

"Easy, killer," Edward soothed in my ear. "One battle at a time, 'kay?"

"'Kay," I sighed, letting him guide me to Carlisle's front porch, but I stopped him. "By the way, Jake being drunk…would have no bearing on the patrol. Alice and I had it under control. It was a quiet night."

Edward smirked but kissed my lips. "My apologies, Bella. I forgot who was watching over us. How'd that go, by the way?"

I kissed him again. "She's very sad and lonely and angry, Edward, but she'll be okay. I thanked her for keeping you safe."

Edward sighed, dropping kisses to my forehead, lips, and then bringing my sore knuckles up to kiss them, as well. "Don't expect me to be so…giving to Jake."

Grinning, I shook my head. "Never. Now…go get packed for your hunt. I'll go see your parents about this." I held up my hand but rolled my eyes.

He kissed me again, making sure I was okay to knock and then step inside.

**~oOo~**

**EDWARD**

Gazing over the sleeping blankets, I shook my head, stoking the small fire. The two kids – Quinn and Seth – were out for the night, but we'd been tracking a deer all damn day. Jasper stepped lightly around them, checking the simple alarm system Quinn had come up with. Empty tin cans hung on a string, which was tied to several trees that encircled us. As dumb and oblivious as the zekes could be, it was perfect. They'd run right into it, causing the cans to rattle. It was easy and something we could probably use back at camp.

"Smart kid," Jasper said softly, falling down onto the log next to me. "Where'd you find him?"

"Kansas," I replied. "Dodge City. He was the only living thing we ran into. Saved our asses, too. Got us those four-wheelers and then guided us out of the city." I jerked my thumb toward the vehicles we'd taken from camp.

Jasper nodded, fiddling with his crossbow. He stopped when I flexed my hand. There was soreness there, but nothing like what Bella's had been like when we'd pulled out of camp for this hunting trip. Both my parents had said it wasn't broken but probably damn close. They'd wrapped her hand and wrist up just to keep it stable. She wasn't happy, but she didn't say much about it.

"You gonna live?" he asked, smirking my way. When I nodded, he huffed a light laugh. "That stupid fucker has been punched more times than Rocky since all this shit started. I offered to kill his ass before we even got to camp, but Bella wouldn't let me."

Grinning, I shook my head. "I would have…"

"That's what we said," he agreed with a light laugh, checking his arrows and cleaning the few we'd used along the way. There hadn't been many zekes, but the ones we'd seen were eliminated quickly and quietly.

"I still might," I added, sneering at the fire. "Drunk? Really? Where the fuck did he get it?"

Jasper sighed. "There's some in Aunt Esme's bunker. We'd gone on a run, Seth and me. We came across this cabin. The people inside had turned, but they'd stocked up really well. There was whiskey and beer in there. The ladies… Sue, she likes to cook with it, makes a killer batter with the beer, never mind the barbecue sauce that'll melt in your mouth with that whiskey. Charlie had forbidden him to have any, but since we lost Hannah – she used to keep the food stock under control – I guess he got in there… Probably when your parents were helping with the baby."

"And that's not the first time he's been drunk."

"Uh, no. He was plastered the day his dad died, not that I blame him for that, but he got really foul. It was the night Charlie arrived, actually. I'd already punched the piss out of him for blaming Bella. I mean, you could _see _that Billy had turned, and we'd been taken by surprise with a shit-ton of them, but he couldn't see reason…still doesn't. And he'd smashed the bottle in his hand…" He trailed off, looking to me when my head snapped around to gape at him. "Charlie arrived just before I was gonna put one of these in his head." He held up one of the arrows.

"Fuck, he's more trouble than he's worth," I groaned, rubbing my face.

"Sometimes."

Snorting, I pulled my hands away, gazing into the fire. "We'll have to watch him closer."

"I know. He seems to be focused on Bella…some shit never changes."

Glancing over at him, I could see what Bella was talking about. He'd fallen for my wife. The part of me that loved and trusted her knew he'd never stand a chance, that she loved me completely and unequivocally. The man who had grown up competing with my cousin, the kid who chased after him, hero-worshiped him, wanted to mark my territory. Either way, I knew I couldn't stay quiet. And for the first time in a very long time, I was about to break a promise to my wife – one that would have me begging for forgiveness.

"Some things changed while I was away."

Jasper froze, his eyes falling closed. "She told you."

"If she hadn't, I'd have still figured it out, J, so tell me."

He shook his head slowly, until finally he laughed humorlessly. "You…" He bit down hard on his bottom lip before going on. "You might be the luckiest son of a bitch I've ever met."

"I can't argue that." That was a fact. I was damned lucky to have been able to keep my family, keep everything that mattered, and survived hell to do it.

"It doesn't matter, though, Edward." He looked to me, still smiling sadly. "It wouldn't have mattered if we'd have lost you or buried you or whatever. She will never look at anyone the way that she looks at you. Not a fucking soul. Once I realized that, once I realized that she'd watch Freddie just to see _you_ in him… I envied you, even when she had faith and I didn't. I tried to… She's pissed at me for bringing you on this hunting trip."

"Wanna tell me why? Because she wouldn't say it."

He groaned, rubbing his face, finally looking my way. "From the minute you called her that day, until the second you flew through the door of that cabin, she… She just…_knew_, man. She knew you were coming. Freddie, too. And we all – _all_ _of us_ – felt sorry for her, even her dad, because we thought there was no fucking way you could survive, especially where you'd been. I'd promised you before you left for Florida that I'd watch over her, but in doing that, I saw how amazing she truly is, but… Edward, I didn't stand a fucking ice cube's chance in hell. I really didn't. And the day she kinda busted me on how I felt, I saw that. I'd said I could use you in the woods, that you'd always been good at it, but I'd asked if she'd have let you go had you been there…or could things be different if she'd had closure. She argued all the reasons why you _would _make it, that to play the 'what if' game wasn't cool. Right then, I saw that _she_ pitied _me_. She'd never say it, never hurt a fucking fly, but she looked at me like…I was pathetic, that she was sorry." He laughed, grinning my way. "You're back, cousin. That's…everything. That's all that matters, really. She's your wife, Edward. I'd never… I've never, ever been so glad to be wrong, man. Seriously."

"I know; she told me most of that," I stated when he trailed off. "She didn't want trouble between us, nor did she want to hurt you."

"Nah, I'll live. I mean, seeing you two together…I know it was just…bullshit in my head. She and I made a good team, and that felt cool and all, but… She's better with you. I see it. I envy what you two have… It's just… All this shit happening, you know? You're like my little brother, man. I'd never fuck you over like that…"

I studied his face, my hackles still a little…prickly. If he'd been anyone else, I might have taken it further. If he'd overstepped or made her uncomfortable about it all, I'd have handed him his ass on a silver platter. But he was my flesh and blood, and I knew they'd depended on each other for survival – Bella had told me that much. I also knew he'd always thought her to be pretty, even before I'd stepped foot in Shelly's Bar that fateful night, the night I'd truly met Bella. I also saw that where she was my other half, he merely was attracted to her, had developed a small bond, and that caused me to finally let it go.

Swallowing thickly, I finally said, "I don't like it, Jasper. _I understand it_, but I don't like it. She's my wife…one of _the most important people_ that I busted my fucking ass to get back to, so…"

He shook his head profusely. "No, Edward. I… She's fucking awesome, but…no."

Smirking, I nodded. "She is that. I still need to thank you again for taking care of them when I couldn't."

"I'd do it again, cousin. No question." He sighed in relief when I relaxed, holding out his fist, and I bumped it, wincing at the sting from punching Black. "Jacob, on the other hand…"

Sneering at that, I sighed deeply. "He's trouble. He's always been trouble, Jasper. And his selfish nature and that temper of his is gonna get someone hurt…or killed." I shook my head. "I won't allow him to jeopardize that camp, my family. I won't. We need to have a long chat when we get back."

"Or…" Jasper said, drawing out the word. "We bring him on that Lake Crescent run."

Smiling, I nodded. "Maybe. Though I have a feeling Bella's coming along for that one, which means my dad and Emmett need to stay back at camp."

"That works," he agreed, and we both looked up when the shuffle of leaves and the snapping of dry twigs met our ears.

"Well, what'choo know," Jasper sang, silently picking up his crossbow. "We'll be home sooner than we thought."

He was a stunning buck, with strong muscles and dark eyes that couldn't quite see us yet. It was almost a shame to remove him, but we needed him. Jasper's arrow let loose, and the thump to the ground roused the two boys.

"C'mon, Quinn…Seth," I called, standing up to kick dirt onto the remaining fire embers. "We'll make it home in time for breakfast."

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… Lots of confrontations in this one. And more to come, trust me.**

**There weren't a lot of questions last time, simply a sigh of relief that Edward and Bella were back together again, so I'll just say I hope all of my US friends had a nice Thanksgiving, and that Wednesday is looking good for the next update. Until next time… Mooches, Deb :)**


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N…Okay, so most of you are ready to at least check out the new place. You're also ready for Jacob to accidentally trip into a fire. ;)**

**I'll let you get to it, but this chapter is all Edward and picks up right after the last one, so I'll let him take you back to **_**Camp Cullen**_**. He's got a few things on his mind. ;) **

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 14**

**EDWARD**

_**Blackwood Lake, Washington**_

_Five months and three weeks after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

It was a bright morning when we pulled back into camp. Most everyone was up and about, though I didn't see Bella. Freddie was sitting with my parents at the table, along with some of the other kids, but he was up and rushing to me in an instant.

"Dad!" He grunted when I picked him up. "How'd it go?"

"You tell me, bud," I said with a chuckle, practically hanging him over the trailer attached to the four-wheeler where the buck was.

"Whoa," he gasped, clawing at my arms to bring him upright. "Did'joo shoot him?"

I laughed at his red face. "Actually, no. That was all Jasper."

"Awesome," he whispered, giving Jasper a fist bump when my cousin walked by.

"Thank you, thank you," Jasper said, giving a dramatic bow and a wink Freddie's way, only to ruffle his hair.

"Where's Mom?" I asked my son as he grumpily ran his fingers through his hair to straighten it out.

"Sleepin'. She had watch duty last night."

"Again?"

"Yeah, something about Peter being a new daddy." He leaned closer to my face. "Do babies _ever_ sleep? Baby Zoe cries all the time!"

Laughing, I shook my head as I carried him to the porch and sat down with him on my lap. "You didn't. You were wide awake every minute!"

"Nuh-uh," he argued, rolling his eyes at me.

"Oh, yeah. You, my son, were a crazy man."

He grinned but looked over when the kids at the table laughed.

"Should you be doing school work?"

"Yeah," he sighed, looking up at me pleadingly. "I don't want to. I want to target practice with you."

"School first, buddy. I think that's Mom's condition, right?"

He wrinkled his nose, and it looked so much like my belligerent Bella that I couldn't help but laugh, but I gently pinched his chin between my thumb and forefinger, making sure he looked me in the eye.

"You promised her, Freddie. Don't break your word. That's important, kiddo." I sighed, realizing I had to apologize to my wife for doing just that, but I focused on my son. "Look, things have changed, the world is crazy, but that doesn't mean we have to forget who we are, what kind of people we are. Okay, buddy? If a man promises something, he needs to follow through." When he nodded forlornly, I patted the side of his face. "That being said, I promised I'd help you with target practice, but only after you've finished with your school stuff."

"So…later?"

"Definitely," I vowed, kissing his forehead.

"Janie, too? 'Cause she's really good."

Grinning, I nodded. "Janie, too."

"Okay, cool." He scrambled down from my lap and ran back to the table to rejoin the group.

I helped Jasper and Quinn string up the deer, but it was Charlie who was going to help with dressing it. He hobbled my way, gripping my shoulder before patting Jasper's and then Quinn's.

"Nice job, boys," he praised, nodding slowly as he assessed the buck.

"How's that leg?" I asked him.

"Bah, I'll live. It's healing okay, according to your mother. Though, these last few chilly mornings, it's achy as all hell."

"It's gonna be a miserable winter," Emmett added, joining us. "We really should consider jackass's suggestion of relocating. At least take a look…" He jerked a chin toward the far side of the lake, where Randall and Jake were adding another section of fencing.

"Not until I'm not limping," Charlie grumbled.

"I agree. And only because if we go, Jake will want to go, too. As will Bella. I can't make any promises that he'll come back," I stated firmly, shrugging a shoulder.

"That boy," Charlie sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know… I used to think his problem was due to the loss of his mother all those years ago. I mean, he was about Freddie's age when she got sick, and Billy tended to let shit slide with him because of it, but now I'm not so sure." He looked to me. "When Bella ended things with him, it wasn't just the cheating or the drinking, though that was a huge part of it, but he'd control her, manipulate her into thinking she needed to be a certain way. She got tired of it because Bella's always been pretty damn strong, so she wasn't changing for anyone. It was why I liked you, son – you never expected anything but just…Bella."

I grinned, shrugging a shoulder. "She's perfect the way she is. Why would I change that?"

He snorted but smiled indulgently, especially when Emmett and Jasper laughed. "But he got worse, so I chalked it up to a broken heart and all that shit, but…no. Billy always thought that Jacob was kicking himself over losing Bella to you, but really, he's just…angry. I don't think it has anything to do with you or Bella. Without Billy here to control him, he's getting worse, and he's aiming it at everyone around him."

"Which is damned dangerous, Charlie," Jasper warned, raising an eyebrow. "He's gonna lash out at the wrong person or slack off at the wrong time, maybe even let something slide out of revenge. He's been warned and threatened by everyone in this camp, and he's been punched by too many."

"I know," Charlie sighed again, nodding a little and readying his knife. "I promised his father I'd always watch over him, way before all this virus stuff, and we need the extra strong back around here, so I can't – in good conscience – kick him out of here. I mean, where would he go? I don't know what to do."

"You know," Jasper muttered softly, "some people are just born…mean and selfish. And there's nothing gonna change that." He shrugged. "He's all about himself, not to mention that he truly blames Bella for Billy, and that makes him dangerous in this camp."

"I agree," I said, letting out a deep breath. "He's got one more snide remark, one more accusation aimed at my wife, before I truly hand him his ass, Charlie. I'm not kidding. The things I've heard from people, from Freddie and Bella – even the little bit I've witnessed… I won't have it. I honestly don't care _why_ he's an asshole. Dr. Phil doesn't live in this damn camp. We do. He either shuts the fuck up, or…"

Charlie nodded, gripping my shoulder. "I don't blame you, Edward. And I agree. The first night I stepped foot in this camp, he was fighting with her, and after all I saw, it was all I could do not to break his damn neck. Maybe when we do scope out Lake Crescent, we'll get a chance to talk to him."

"I'm not sure talkin' will do much good, Chief," Emmett stated with a grunt as he started to work on the buck. "Though, fists aren't working, either…"

I raised my eyebrows at Charlie. "He's got a point."

"Well, I'll see if I can talk to him," Charlie said, essentially ending it, because Randall and Jacob were coming closer.

Glancing around, I asked, "Em, where's Sasha?"

Emmett grinned. "Probably sleeping with Bella. She was up all night with her, too."

Chuckling, I nodded. "Fair enough. I'd better go check in on them, then."

I shot a wave to Randall as I passed through the camp, smirking at Jacob's bruised and battered face. Between Bella's punch and my own, he looked to be pretty bashed up. Something about that was damned satisfying. Even better was that he was ignoring me. Waving at a few more people from the cabin, I stepped inside and grimaced that it was a touch chilly.

I stoked the fire, added another log in the fireplace, and quietly pushed open the door to our room. I couldn't help but chuckle softly. Bella was curled up with Sasha, the big dog's head on my pillow and Bella's wrapped hand buried in dark fur. I scratched Sasha's head, dropping a light kiss to Bella's temple, which caused her to stir.

"You're home," she mumbled.

"Yes, ma'am. Get some sleep, Shortcake. I'll be around when you get up."

"No," she whined, reaching for me.

"There's no room," I said with a laugh. "It seems I've been replaced and betrayed. You women, I swear…"

Bella's giggle was light and easy but muffled by the pillow as she scratched Sasha's face. "She's cuddly."

"She is, but she's gotta move. C'mon, Sasha, I'll let you out."

Sasha hopped down from the bed and followed me to the front door. She trotted outside, aiming for Freddie and the rest of the kids.

When I walked back into the bedroom, I closed the door. Bella was curled up in a tight ball, and I shrugged out of my hoodie and yanked my T-shirt off as I toed off my boots. Once I'd stepped out of my jeans, I slipped in beside her, pulling her close.

"Jesus," I hissed. "Baby, you're free-eezing," I sputtered when she put cold toes and fingers against my skin.

"Well, yeah," she said into my neck. "You let my personal space heater outside to pee."

Chuckling, I kissed her forehead and the palm of her wrapped wrist. "My bad, Bella."

I pulled her closer so she'd warm up, but I stayed quiet. I had every intention of letting her go back to sleep, maybe even catch some sleep with her. I'd stayed up most of the night while we were gone. Tin-can alarm or not, I didn't feel safe dozing off in the middle of the damn woods.

The fact that she was so cold made me consider Emmett's statement about winter. Jacob Black may have been a selfish asshole, but he had a point. There were too many of us, not enough cabins, and winter was right around the corner. Fall was already upon us, and it was chilly up in the mountains. We had children to think about, not to mention two older men who would not take the cold well. The RVs wouldn't provide enough warmth for the snow that was sure to come.

Bella shifted, pulling back to look up at me with sleepy-sweet eyes. "You're tense as hell, Edward…"

Shaking my head, I kissed her lips. "Sorry. Just thinking…"

"Did the hunt go okay?"

"Yeah, we caught a buck before light this morning. Your dad and Emmett are dressing it now." I swallowed nervously because I needed to come clean. "I um… I owe you an apology, Bella." When she frowned, I blurted it all out. "I know I promised I wouldn't say anything, but I couldn't stop myself. I saw… You're right… Jasper is…was…"

Her nose wrinkled a little. "Oh shit… Just tell me you two are okay."

I nodded, kissing her lips again. "Yeah, we're fine. I wasn't going to say anything, but…"

I trailed off. The only excuse I had was that I was stupid when it came to my wife and son, and I was protective and possessive. I was even worse when it came to my cousin. His being five years older than I was only made us competitive over stuff.

Bella's fingers, now much warmer, tilted my gaze to hers. "You know…nothing happened, Edward."

I tsked. "I know. I _know_, Bella! I just… I busted my ass to get back to you, only to find…"

She was shaking her head. "Nope. You didn't find anything but Freddie and me, happy to see you." When I smirked, she kissed my nose. "Now…why are you apologizing?"

"Ah," I scoffed a little. "I'd promised not to say anything."

"Yeah, well…I didn't exactly take that promise seriously, Edward Cullen. You've always been pretty vocal about us."

Grinning, I shrugged a shoulder. "You're not mad?"

"You swear you two are okay?" she countered, and when I nodded, she smiled again. "Then no, not mad." She studied my face. "What else?"

"I think… I think that we ought to consider the fact that this camp is too small, especially with the coming winter. It's already pretty damn chilly, and it's only the beginning of October."

"Oh, God…that means Jacob's right," she groaned, wearing a disgusted look on her beautiful face.

Laughing, I buried it into her neck. "Well, with who may be going on the scouting trip, he'll have no one to gloat to."

"I want to go."

"I know you do, but what about Freddie?" I asked her honestly. "I don't know about leaving him, but taking him?"

"Who else is going?"

"Umm, your dad, for sure. Jasper, probably. Maybe Rose and Alice. I don't know. Quinn is good to take."

Bella took a deep breath and let it out. "If Freddie goes, I know I can keep watch over him. Leaving him makes me nervous, Edward. But I'd like to see these lodges Jake's talking about. Besides, if we both go, he'll—"

"Yeah, I know…" I kissed her lips to hush her. If both of us went, Freddie would lose his mind. "He wants to target practice later; maybe I can talk to him then…"

"He's determined to help. So far, he's only shot one zeke, and he froze then, which worries me, but it was understandable. The fishing thing…that's important to him because he feels he's contributing. He's seven going on fifty."

I laughed but nodded. "We've created a stubborn yet brave little monster, Shortcake."

Grinning with pride, she nodded, reaching up to rake her fingers through my hair. "We have. I love him with an insanity."

"Me, too. He'll probably rule this new world with an iron fist."

"Good," she breathed, but a shiver racked her frame.

"Still cold?" I asked, skimming my hands up and down her back beneath her shirt. When her dark eyes met mine as my hands slipped beneath the band of her shorts, I smirked at her deep moan when I gripped her ass. "You know, I know an _excellent_ way to warm up, Shortcake."

"Mm, I bet," she purred, gripping my hair and pulling me closer. "Why do I think it involves the _removal_ of clothes…?"

"Mm, maybe." When my hand pressed between her legs from behind, I moaned at the feel of her wet already. "Damn, baby…that was fast," I crooned as my lips and tongue trailed along her throat.

"Dream," she hissed, arching back into my touch as I continued to glide my fingers around her entrance, up to her clit, only to squeeze her ass again. Over and over…I couldn't stop myself.

"About?" I dragged the word out, nipping her skin with my teeth when she barely breathed the word "you."

Rolling her over, I slipped my fingers up her shirt, pushing it off of her. Quickly grabbing the sides of her shorts, I tugged them down.

"Me what, Bella?" I asked against tightly peaked nipples and smooth skin. "What was I doing to you, baby?"

Trailing kisses across her sternum, her belly, and over each hip bone, I waited for her answer, which finally came as a chanting, "Your mouth, your mouth…everywhere."

"That's what I was hoping you'd say…"

Spreading her legs, I nipped the skin along the inside of her thigh, snorting when she babbled incoherently about not shaving and hair and nonsense.

"So not concerned, Bella," I crooned, though internally I rolled my eyes. There were circumstances beyond control here, so a bit of hair or stubble didn't bother me one bit; I was just ridiculously happy she continued to let me do really naughty things to her. "I just want to taste you, baby."

When my mouth finally met her pussy, her whole body rolled – her head fell back, her hands made purchase on the sheets and in my hair, and her hips rocked up, which gave me better access. Humming in approval against her wet skin only made her writhe that much more. My girl was needy, something I had no problem helping her with, simply because I was right there with her. It seemed our time apart had made our alone time that much more special. Our sex life had never, ever been dull, but now it was almost an emotional upheaval every damn time.

Sucking her, fingering her, and playing with her, I brought her to the brink of her climax, smiling when curses hissed from her mouth when I'd slow down, back off.

"Edward…baby, please…_stop fucking teasing_!"

Grinning against the crease of her thigh, I finally gave in, giving her everything. My fingers curled deep inside her as I flicked my tongue across her clit, and she immediately fell apart, her whole body arcing up beautifully.

I drank her up, loving the feel of her orgasm against my tongue, but I finally crawled up her body when she'd calmed a bit.

"Still cold?" I asked cockily, closing my eyes at the feel of legs and arms wrapping around me. I couldn't help but chuckle when she looked at me, confused.

"What?"

"Never mind," I said with a laugh, reaching for the condoms I had stashed in the nightstand as she shoved my underwear down with her feet. "You feel warm to me."

The foil packet was snatched from me, and she forced me over. "Sit up," she said, waiting until I'd propped up against the headboard before she rolled the condom down over me. "I want to see your face…" she whispered, straddling my hips.

Guiding her over me with a hand holding my dick and the other on her hip, my eyes stayed on that gorgeous face as she slid achingly slow down onto me. I gritted my teeth at the need to move, to thrust, but she seemed to need a second.

"Fuck, so good…" I grunted, trying to keep my eyes on her face, which swirled with every emotion – fear, lust, disbelief, and love…so much damn love. Cupping her cheek, I whispered, "Easy, baby…I'm right here." I pulled her lips to mine, kissing her slowly, deeply, pulling back to bring her hands to my shoulders. "Feel me? Everywhere?"

She nodded fervently, her hips doing that thing I fucking loved when she was on top – a lift and push, with this roll thing before going back down. My head thumped back to the wall behind me as I gripped her hips to work with her, because when we were in sync, that shit was incredible.

We started slowly, but eventually, she let me take over, guiding her, or holding her still while I pushed up into her. When she let go again, I couldn't help but fall with her. But it was the searing kiss to my lips that made me sit up, keeping her astride my lap and wrapping my arms completely around her. Her arm wound around my head, holding my face to her neck.

"It was too soon," I mumbled against the now slightly sweaty skin of her shoulder. "To leave…even for a day."

"No, Edward, I…" She huffed a laugh, pulling back as she rolled her eyes. "Maybe," she finally allowed, "but I may never be comfortable anymore with you going anywhere."

With that admission, she looked embarrassed, like it made her weak to say aloud.

"Okay," I said, smiling when she looked me in the eye. "So what? So we figure it out. That makes you sad…why?"

She grinned, shaking her head. "I was a pretty strong military wife, Edward. I was used to you being gone occasionally, but…"

I scoffed, grabbing either side of her face in my hands. "Shortcake, you were the fucking best, but this…was different. This was long and stupid and scary. And you're not the only one still trying to…come down from it."

"So I'm not an idiot?"

"No, never!" I laughed. "You're not weak either, beautiful. You were scared, and so was I. I'm kinda okay with keeping you in sight for a bit."

She smiled in relief, raking her fingers through my hair. "How'd I get so damn lucky?"

"You had an amazing ass in tight jeans and you gave me beer," I stated with a straight face as I palmed her bare ass on my lap. "Not to mention you wielded a mean baseball bat," I added, grinning at her giggle. "I love you, Shortcake. If we need to stay together, then…so be it."

She was still smiling when she trailed a sweet finger beneath my eyes. "Love you, too. You didn't sleep."

"Nope, though I was hoping I'd join you, and then I have a target lesson to teach."

She nodded, slipping off my lap. I removed the condom and tossed it to the garbage. I'd have to flush it later when I brought water in. Suddenly, I was exhausted, the long day of tracking and no sleep catching up to me, not to mention my bones felt like goo after coming so damn hard.

I pulled Bella's back to my chest, curling around her. The feel of her in my arms was the final straw that pushed me into relax mode. I fell asleep quickly.

**~oOo~**

I awoke around mid-afternoon to an empty bed and the sound of Bella trying to get Freddie to calm down at the door.

"It's okay, it's okay," I groaned, rubbing my face and rolling onto my stomach. "I'm up, you two."

"You sure?" Bella asked, but when I cracked an eye up at her, she laughed, raising her hands in surrender. "Just checking."

"Dad, c'mon! You promised!" Freddie said, doing an awesome job darting around his mother to get inside the room.

I couldn't help but laugh at her shocked face. "He'd have made a helluva running back."

Bella muttered under her breath about silver linings in the new world, which made me laugh again, but I looked to my son, who was practically vibrating beside me.

"I'm up, I swear. How many are comin'?"

"Um…Janie and Tanya and me."

In his hand was a lever-action .22 rifle, which was rather perfect for him. It wasn't heavy or cumbersome. It also wouldn't have a loud sound or a harsh recoil. In fact, it was what Dad had taught Jasper and me on when we were kids. It had been way before Jasper's parents had died. Hell, I'd been about Freddie's age.

Bella stepped back into the room with a bucket of water, a bit of steam coming off of it.

"Hint?" I asked her as I sniffed my armpit, grinning at her unladylike snort.

"Maybe." She shot me a wink, though, taking Freddie by the shoulder. "Let your dad breathe, kiddo. And he'll get dressed and come out."

"Actually," I said, sitting up. "Freddie, go get your Grandpa Carlisle. Tell him I want his help."

"Okay, Daddy!" he yelled, rushing from the room, and the front door slammed behind him.

"He killed a zeke with that thing?" I asked Bella as I stood up from the bed.

"He's not a bad shot, Edward," she replied, shrugging a shoulder. "You'll see."

Once I was washed up and redressed in cleaner clothes, my sidearm strapped to my thigh, I stepped out onto the porch to see my dad sitting on the steps with the three kids around him. He had a bag of bottles and cans at his feet.

Tanya was the first to look up. "I wanna learn, too, Edward."

"Okay, but is your sister cool with it?"

"She said as long as it's you and Carlisle, she's fine with it," she answered.

"We need to get you a weapon," I told her, gesturing to Janie and Freddie, who both had the same type of rifle. "I don't have another rifle, but I think I have a .22 pistol in the Hummer. That'll work for you."

"Okay," she said, shrugging a shoulder. "I just…wanna help."

I tugged her long ponytail. "You do, Half Pint."

Dad stood up. "Where do you want to do this?"

"More like…how?" I sighed, descending the steps to the grass as I pulled on my hoodie. "They attracted zekes with one target practice, so we'll have to keep an eye on our surroundings. So maybe along the side there. And this is more than targeting for hunting."

"Defense." He nodded in agreement, but he placed a hand on Freddie's shoulder as my son watched usboth raptly. "You were younger than this when you took down your first deer, Edward, so…"

Smirking, I nodded, cracking my knuckles. "I know, so let's get them started."

I stopped by the Hummer, opening the back. I found the gun I was looking for – a Smith and Wesson .22 pistol. Since Tanya was a touch older, she'd probably handle that better than the other two. Taking two boxes of bullets, I closed the vehicle back up. It had remained the ammo storage, simply because it could travel should we need to haul ass out of there.

We walked along the side of the lake that faced the driveway. It had the most fencing, the fire-ditch, and the crow's nest up in the tree with Rose and Maggie. If we made enough noise to pull in any zekes, then we'd at least stand a chance. Using posts that Jasper had already set up, I lined up several bottles and cans.

"All right, guys… C'mere," I said, taking a knee and setting down the boxes of bullets. "Here's the thing… I'm pretty sure that Jasper talked to you and Janie about safety, that these aren't toys, right?"

"Yeah, Dad." Freddie nodded.

"Good," I said, turning to Tanya. "Same goes for you, Half Pint." I held up the pistol. "It's not a big bullet, Tanya, but it can still inflict a wound, even kill. Got me?" When she nodded, I added, "No playing around with it, and no pointing it at anything other than targets, game, or zekes. Am I clear, guys?" I asked all of them.

"Yes," they all replied together.

"Dad, if you'll work with Tanya, I'll take these two."

"Yup," he said, taking the pistol from me and pulling Tanya to the side. He started instructing her on how to engage it, aim, and fire, though it was empty.

"Janie…ladies first," I told her. "Show me what you know."

The kid couldn't get any cuter, I was damned convinced. She was adorable, with chin-length hair the color of wet sand. Her face was like a fairy or a doll, sweet and curious, but it was fierce in concentration as she aimed, readied her weapon, and pulled the trigger.

When she missed, I said, "Try again, Janie." I knelt behind her, straightening her arms, correcting her stance, and helping her aim. "Fire when you're ready."

The tin can pinged off the fence post, and her grin was big and proud.

"Nice job," I praised her, giving her a high-five and waving Freddie over. "Okay, bud… What can _you_ do?"

I wanted to laugh when he rubbed his hands on his jeans, then cracked his knuckles before lifting his weapon and aiming.

"Oh hell, Edward," I heard Dad chuckle, but I waved him away. Freddie's mannerisms were the carbon copy of mine, even when I was his age.

"Straighten your shoulders, use both eyes, and widen your stance, son," I whispered in his ear. "You got your target in sight?"

He nodded, whispering, "Yeah."

"Okay, it's all you, then."

He pulled the trigger, and the sound of breaking glass echoed around us.

"Excellent shot, Freddie," I praised, and my son looked like he could fly with the pride bursting out of him.

We took a few more turns, and the kids got better and better as we cleaned the fence posts of every can and bottle. I set up more for Dad to finally let Tanya have a shot.

"Why didn't she learn on the way here?" Freddie asked.

"She didn't ask, but… Her sister was pretty protective."

"Why now?" Janie asked me.

I knelt in front of them. "Guys, if this were the way things used to be, we wouldn't be doing this, teaching you how to shoot. But…as much as I hate it, times have changed. We want you to be able to hunt, which is what Freddie wanted, but we want you to be able to defend yourselves if you had to."

"Freddie killed a walker. It was the scariest thing, but he did a good job. He saved us, 'cause she came out of nowhere," Janie said with wide eyes and a nod.

"I know." I smiled at my son, who looked nervous at this conversation. "His mother told me." When Freddie's gaze snapped to mine, I ruffled his hair. "It was very brave, and you didn't do anything wrong. You know that, right?"

"It was a lady," he whispered.

"No, buddy. They stop being people once they turn. There's no…person inside anymore. They…don't _think _anymore." I tapped his temple as I tried to think of how to explain it, finally gripping his shoulder gently. "Remember that raccoon that Jasper used to feed at his place? He was really fun and kinda hung around his backyard. But he got sick? Remember?"

"Yeah, Roscoe."

"Yes, but Roscoe got rabies. He wasn't the fun little guy anymore, the one who washed his hands in the bird feeder, and Jasper had to shoot him. You were sad, but…he could've hurt you. Think of the zekes or walkers or whatever you want to call them like that. They are no longer safe, and they're not people anymore. They won't hesitate to hurt you, so…you have to stop them. Freddie, you protected yourself, your mother, and Janie all with that one very brave act. Nothing about that is _wrong_, that make sense?"

"Mom said you'd be proud," Freddie said, his face not so nervous.

"More than I can explain, son. And not just for that, okay?" I told him, wrapping my hand around the back of his neck so I could kiss his forehead. "Which reminds me… You and I need to talk about something."

Janie walked away to join my dad and Tanya with another round of targets.

"Is this about Lake Crescent?" he asked, making me narrow my eyes.

"Yeah… How'd you know?"

"Jake's been talkin' 'bout it. So has Grandpa Charlie. They say that we need a bigger place 'cause there's not enough room here. And it'll be too cold soon."

"All that is true, but we have to send a few people to look around first," I told him.

"So…you're going?" he asked, but he didn't give me a chance to answer. "I wanna go with you. I can help, I promise."

I sighed deeply, biting my bottom lip. I was in agreement with Bella on this one. I wanted us to stick together as a family, no more separations, but this scouting trip was necessary and could be iffy.

"I'll make a deal with you, Freddie. You show me you can handle that rifle, follow directions, and be responsible, and you can come."

"Leave Mom?" he asked, glancing back at his mother, who was watching us from the bank of the lake with Angela.

"Not a chance. She's coming with us."

"Oh, sweet!"

Laughing, I hugged him. "Stop listening to Emmett." I pulled back, cupping his face. "I'm not kidding, though, Freddie. If you go, you need to listen to all of us around you. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Dad. When?"

"When Grandpa Charlie's leg is better."

"Okay," he agreed. "Can we shoot some more now?"

"Yup, go to it."

We were lucky that the shooting didn't bring any zekes around, though I expected a herd soon. Enough time had passed since we'd arrived at the camp, so I was pretty sure we were due. The survivors hadn't shown up again either, which actually made me a bit anxious. If they wanted the place badly enough, then they could attempt another hit.

Tanya got really good with the pistol but finally turned to Dad and me. "Your turn. Can you knock 'em down?"

Her challenge was scoffed at, and I shoved my dad forward. "Age before beauty."

He laughed, rolling his eyes. "Whatever, son. Prepare to be schooled."

We had the attention of most of the camp at this point. We knew it was about time for dinner, and the smell was making me ravenous.

Cheers and boos and jeers rang out aimed at my dad as he pulled his sidearm off his leg. Starting from right to left, he took nine out of ten targets down. The kids all ran down to line up more, running back breathless as I pulled my own weapon.

"Gotta get 'em all to beat me, sport," he teased me.

Grinning, I aimed my .45, but I worked left to right, pausing at the last target. Whistles and cheers and bullshit comments met my ears, but I just snorted and aimed for the last bottle. The glass broke, but the bottom of it was still standing on the railing.

"Doesn't count," Dad said, grinning at my scoff.

"Oh, hell yes it counts!" I argued, pointing to the railing. "The bottle is no more!"

He laughed, shaking his head. "Nope. The base is still there."

"I'm not listening to you," I told him, spinning on my heel. "You're a sore loser, Dad."

"If there's nothing left to shoot, then it's a hit," Tanya reasoned, grinning between us. "If it had been a zeke…"

I pointed to her but looked to my dad. "Out of the mouths of babes," I snarked. "Thank you, Half Pint. The win is mine!"

My dad cracked up, raising his hands in surrender. "I'll let you have it, if only because your son is watching."

"Mm," I hummed, pursing my lips at him. "Freddie, is it a hit?" I asked over my shoulder.

"Yes, Dad!" he called out.

Holding my arms out wide, I said, "I rest my case, Doctor Cullen. We'll have a rematch next lesson."

Dad laughed, rolling his eyes at me, but he walked to me still chuckling. "They did well, son."

"They did," I agreed as we cleaned up our mess. "I hate the thought of them _having_ to defend themselves, but I feel better that they _can_. Does that make sense?"

"Complete sense, son." He gestured to the group gathering around the tables for dinner. "Tanya's not but a year or so behind Seth, who's damn comfortable hunting and fighting. You were able to handle that same gun at Freddie's age. And that Janie, well…she's eleven but a smart little thing. There may be a time when we'll need them to at least _know_."

"Speaking of…" I said, stopping him just out of hearing range of the group at the table. "We're planning a scouting trip of Lake Crescent soon. I'd…I'd really like it if you and Emmett stayed behind to kind of oversee things."

"And watch over Freddie and Bella?"

"No, they're going with me," I stated firmly. "I um… I can't…"

Dad nodded and gripped my shoulder. "I understand. You gotta do what you feel is right, son. They'll be in good company, I'm assuming."

"Yeah. Charlie's going. Not to mention Jasper. I was thinking Rose, but Alice would be a good one. Quinn, too."

"Jacob?"

"Unfortunately."

Dad nodded but frowned. "Good. Don't leave him behind. I can't guarantee his safety with Emmett's temper…and mine."

I laughed. "Neither can I…"

"C'mon, Edward," he said, starting for the tables. "Let's eat."

Dinner was full of good food and plenty of it, not to mention hopeful chatter. The fire burned warm to ward off the chilly fall air. As people split up to take the younger kids to bed or to take positions of protection for the night, Quinn pulled out his guitar, strumming lightly and singing softly. Even Lauren sang a little, which was a surprise to everyone, even the ones who knew her prior, until she told us she used to sing in church.

Freddie started to fall asleep sprawled across my chest, but I stopped Bella from taking him to the cabin just yet, simply pulling her down beside us and wrapping my free arm around her. A few minutes of peace, of something light and easy, that was all I wanted. To hold my family like I would have before the virus, but instead of watching useless TV, we were listening to songs about what drove us on, what made all this shit worth it. Quinn picked out a few love songs, a classic about coming home, and one about times changing.

I kissed the top of my son's messy head, only to do the same to Bella's, which made her eyes meet mine, a smile playing on her sweet lips, and I kissed those, too.

"Edward," she whispered, and I followed her gaze to my parents, their heads together, as they flipped through a file folder as thick as my damn arm, using a battery lantern for light. "What're they…?"

"Research," I whispered back. "Mom… Mom wants to find a cure, an immunization, something." I shrugged a shoulder. "Until we can find her a place to work, equipment… If we can get a bigger place, maybe we can scout for equipment. I don't know."

Bella studied my face, then looked to my parents. "Well…if anyone can…"

I smiled at her faith, her loving nature. "I'll do my best to give them a chance as soon as we are able, Shortcake."

She smiled, cupping my face and kissing my lips. "I know you will, baby. We'll all help, I'm sure."

Nodding, I pulled her back to me, keeping my family close. Survival came first, as far as I was concerned. If I felt they were safe, that the people around us were safe, only then would I feel like we were getting somewhere. Until then…I'd count my blessings and hold on to what I had.

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N…The Edward/Freddie target practice was something I'd been dying to write. Just something easy, but helpful in all of that.**

**The songs Quinn played… If I had to list them:**

"**Wind of Change" by the Scorpions**

"**She's the One" by Robbie Williams**

"**Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac**

"**Homeward Bound" by Simon and Garfunkel**

**All of those are on my YouTube playlist for this fic. **

**Again, thank you guys for all the love you keep sending. I honestly can't thank you enough. I'll see you guys again on Sunday for the next chapter. Until then… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N… ** A HUGE thank you and big mooches for everyone that voted for me...and Sarge's Girls too... for the TwiFic Fandom Awards! I can't even explain what that means to me! Thank you so much! **Big thank you to the Lemonade stand for rec'ing me. Another huge thank you to all of you who make my damn day on FB, which was so needed. LOL **

**For those placing bets (ahem…my firefighters), you're gonna have to sit back and hold on, but you'll get your answers in the next couple of chapters. ;)**

**Grab your crossbows, guns, or swords… We've got a scouting trip to go on… **

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 15**

**BELLA**

_**Blackwood Lake, Washington**_

_Six months and ten days since Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

"I think we should head straight up Sol Duc Road and make our way across the 101," Dad said, looking to Edward as they spread the map out on the hood of Edward's truck. "We can start on this side of Lake Crescent."

"I'm willing to bet anything the highway is jammed up right in there," Edward countered, tapping the map. "People who were trying to get into Seattle…and out. I'd bet both sides are deadlocked."

"You're probably right, son," Dad sighed, running a hand down his face. "But we could push cars aside in order to get through, not to mention find some fuel."

"True. We'll have my truck and my dad's, which you're driving, and both can handle it." Edward nodded, gripping his hair before cracking his knuckles. He glanced around, only to look to my dad. "What are we truly hoping to find? A new location? Or simply supplies?"

"Both?" I suggested, shrugging a shoulder before I placed two backpacks into the back of the truck.

"It won't hurt to look for both," Dad agreed. "I'd like a bigger place, something with fences. If not at Lake Crescent, then I can't think of where else to look. Moving this many people just to that lake would be testy, but any place farther and it could prove dangerous. What other facilities are close by?"

Edward grinned, shaking his head. "Fort Warner, but that's back toward Forks. The prison, but that's way south of the whole Olympic preserve, so…"

"Fort Warner…" Dad mused, running his fingers along his mustache.

"I don't know, Chief." Edward hedged. "It seems that every military base we saw along the way… They were a cesspool of zekes all trapped inside the fences and buildings."

"Then we'll have to see what the lake has to offer," Dad conceded. "If anything, we'll come out of this with supplies, ammo, maybe even hunt along the way back."

"Fair enough." Edward wrapped an arm around my shoulders and kissed the side of my head. "You all set?" When I nodded, he glanced around. "Where's Freddie?"

"Getting last-minute instructions from Emmett." I pointed toward the table, where Emmett was chatting with Alice, Quinn, and my son, but I looked to Edward's amused face. "Is Sasha coming with us?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "I don't think I have a choice this time around. I think we'll need her. Plus, I'd feel more comfortable with her watching over Freddie." Edward whistled loudly, waving an arm. "Let's load up!"

Our group consisted of eight people, plus Sasha – Jasper, Alice, Jacob, Quinn, my dad, myself, Edward, and Freddie. My dad had wanted Randall or Emmett, but Edward had argued that we needed the biggest and strongest left behind to guard the camp, leaving Carlisle in charge. We were taking the bare minimum of food rations with us, simply because Jasper was convinced we'd hunt along the way. Those left behind had Seth's freshly caught wild ducks to tide them over. We were only planning on being gone a few days – allowing for snags and hindrances.

Jasper and Alice loaded up into the bed of Edward's truck with their gear, as did Sasha. When Jacob walked by, she stood firm, tense on the tailgate, making Edward grin, but it was Alice's snarky tone that caused laughter.

"Well, I was always taught that dogs could sense evil…"

I snorted, shaking my head, but Jacob merely rolled his eyes, opting to ride with my dad. Alice hadn't exactly been his biggest fan since the night he got drunk on patrol. She still stayed pretty quiet, but not as reclusive as when she'd first arrived to the camp. It seemed she was slowly fitting in, not to mention her crush on Edward had either abated or she was covering it up. She was still nursing some pretty hefty grief, along with a bit of guilt over her family, but she was at least a huge help around the place. Her ability to fight and her knowledge of farming was invaluable.

Jasper grinned at her, only to watch Jacob step up into the back of the other truck. "He's gonna be ray of sunshine through this whole thing."

"Mmm," Edward grunted, shaking his head. "He'd better watch his mouth and his fucking step the entire trip. I'm not joking."

I knew my husband was about five seconds from lodging an arrow in Jacob's ass…or his head – I wasn't quite sure which, but I wasn't sure anyone cared.

Leaning up on my toes, I kissed Edward. "You're cute when you're all threatening. Want my baseball bat?"

That caused a smile to curl slowly up his face. "Nah, Shortcake. You look much sexier holding a bat."

"Then I'll get our boy, and we can get going."

Freddie had always been Edward's shadow before the virus had started. He was just as adorable then as he was now, if not more, because he was determined to prove to his dad he could go with us.

I set Freddie in the cab of the truck, waiting until he situated his rifle on the floorboard. Cupping his face, I whispered, "Look at me, kiddo." When he did, I kissed his forehead. "No matter where we go, stop, or scout, I want you in Daddy's or my sight at all times, mister. Okay?"

He nodded, rubbing his hands on his jeans and then cracking his knuckles. "Yeah, okay. Dad already told me…"

"Well, I'm telling you again, 'cause I can," I teased him, squishing his face a little until he giggled. "Love you," I whispered.

"Love you, too, Mom."

"Good." I raked my fingers through his hair. "You nervous?" I asked, but he shook his head. "Just checking. This'll be like the ride up here from Forks, okay? You just…do what you do."

Edward slid into the other side of the truck but stayed quiet as he watched us.

"You mean like watching for zekes?" Freddie asked, and I smiled at the term he'd adopted from Edward.

"You're really good at it, buddy."

When my son nodded, I kissed his forehead, meeting Edward's warm gaze across the seat of the truck. I could see he was a little on edge with this scouting trip, and adding Freddie and me into the mix probably wasn't helping, but he shot me a wink and checked Freddie's seat belt.

"Shortcake, you sure you don't wanna ride up here with us?" he asked once I'd closed Freddie's door and walked around to his side.

"Nope, I'm good. You boys talk _all_ the trash you want up here," I teased them, finally getting my favorite crooked smiles from them both. God, they were like bookends, which made me chuckle. "No off-roading, though. Keep my poor butt safe, yeah?"

"I love your butt," Edward whispered against my lips salaciously. "It would be a sin against humanity to harm such a perfect thing." He kissed me roughly, smiling at my giggle. "Your dad's plan is to at least get to the 101 and camp for the night before trying to get over it or around it."

"Gotcha." My eyes slid passed him through the back window of the truck to see Jasper and Alice with their heads together. He was showing her something about her rifle, and she nodded, but their body language was all sorts of interesting. "Well, that's an interesting turn of events," I muttered, and Edward's eyes shot to the rearview mirror.

His eyebrows shot up high, but he turned to me. "He's like…fifteen years older than her."

"So?"

He huffed a laugh, shrugging a shoulder. "Nothin', I guess. New world. New rules."

"The world's changed, baby. The rules of attraction stay the same. Be grateful," I sang, kissing him one last time before I hugged Carlisle, Esme, and Sue and then hopped up into the back of the truck. I took a seat next to Sasha, who shifted and then put her head down on my lap.

Edward started the truck and followed my dad out of the driveway. I watched Randall and Emmett put the gate back, and the camp slowly disappeared, leaving us surrounded by woods. The air was chilly in the back, but Sasha's body heat kept me from being too cold.

Once we were on Sol Duc Road, we turned left. I kept my eyes out on the road, barely hearing Jasper and Alice talk to each other. The main road out of the Olympic forest was just as empty as the day we'd pulled in. A few miles after we left the camp, there were a few straggling zekes, but they posed no threat. Some were simply wandering aimlessly near the edge of the woods, but a few were writhing on the side of the road.

I hoped it stayed that quiet, but I had a feeling the closer we got to the main highway, the worse it was going to get.

**~oOo~**

_**Just south of Highway 101…**_

The sun was setting by the time we'd reached an overpass where we could stop for the night. We parked each truck at either entrance, and Quinn was currently stringing his tin-can alarm system around us. Jasper was helping him. The fire burned low, with a couple of rabbits on a spit over it.

Dad and Edward spoke in low tones, my husband's face solemnly in planning mode, not to mention even tenser than before we'd left the camp. Sol Duc Road had stayed pretty quiet most of the way north, but the second we neared the busier highways, we'd run into trouble. There had been a pack of about twenty walkers blocking the intersection. We'd had no choice but to take them out.

Jasper and Edward had used their crossbows, and my dad had used one of the military rifles, all on the ground, while the rest of us had aimed from the trucks. With Sasha's help rounding them up, the pack had been decimated in less than a few minutes. Freddie had been high on adrenaline and victory and praise from his dad for almost an hour afterward, but now he was slowly falling asleep next to me in his sleeping bag.

"Buddy," I whispered, raking my hands through his hair. "I want you to eat something before you crash out on me." I smiled when he nodded and groggily sat up.

Being the only two girls on this trip, Alice and I sat together on one of the logs the boys had dragged over.

"Is this the first time you've left the camp?" Alice asked softly.

Smiling a little, I nodded. "Overnight, yeah. I went on a few hunting trips, but only within a day's walking distance."

"Was it like this when you came through?"

"Worse." I wrinkled my nose, pointing to Jasper. "Jasper, Jacob, and I came through when everything seemed to have _just_ shut down. So we had to push our way through. It seemed people had just started to turn, or they got trapped, so there were packs of them everywhere."

Jacob nodded but didn't say anything as he continued to turn the rabbits over the fire. The fact that he was being civil was nice…shocking, but nice.

Jasper shot a wink my way but didn't say anything for a moment. He finally pointed with an arrow he was fixing. "We lost Sue and Seth's RV about fifteen miles before we got to Sol Duc. It's why they're staying in Charlie's cabin. The pack came at us out of nowhere, and she hit one or two, causing her to accidently wreck."

"Yeah," I agreed, nodding a little. "In fact, that was just about the time we found Angela and Janie."

"Oh, that's right," he sighed, shaking his head. "That was messed up."

We went quiet for a moment, and my dad and Edward put away their plans to join us to eat. Edward sat down behind me, pulling me close. It wasn't much food, and Edward made sure to give most of his to me and Freddie, but I fed him anyway, making him smile.

"You eat it, Shortcake."

"Nope. We all have to stay strong, Edward. Shut up and take it."

He chuckled but did as I said. Quinn had brought his guitar and picked at it softly as Jasper leaned back against a truck tire, my dad taking one, as well. Alice curled up in her sleeping bag, and Freddie barely made it ten minutes after a full belly before he was out like a light.

Leaning back against Edward, I asked, "You aren't gonna sleep, are you?"

"No." When I tilted my head to look at his face, he dropped a kiss to my forehead. "I usually don't sleep much outside like this. C'mon, baby," he urged sweetly, patting his thigh. "I'll happily provide your pillow, though. Lie down."

I curled around Freddie but did as Edward said, and his fingers played with my hair. The sense of safety that he brought to my soul was almost the polar opposite of how I'd felt the last time I'd camped outside, which had been on the way to the cabins. Knowing he was there, that he was a tangible thing, made me almost ridiculously relaxed. Just before the darkness took me, I blearily gazed around the camp.

Dad was asleep, or was attempting it, with his baseball cap pulled down over his face. Jasper was sitting up, arms folded and eyes closed. Alice and Freddie were just lumps in their sleeping bags. Sasha's adorable little snore sounded from the other side of Edward's lap, so I was pretty sure she was curled up next to him. Quinn set his guitar case against one of the overpass pile-ons and curled up on his side. My eyes sought out Jacob, narrowing at his demeanor. He was still awake, taking a drink from his canteen as he leaned against another pillar.

Something about that bothered me, simply because the last time he'd used that same canteen, it had been filled with liquor. I didn't trust him, but when I glanced up to Edward from his lap, I could see I wasn't the only one. Edward stayed quiet. His eyes were sharp, his jaw rolling with each clench of his teeth, but his fingers in my hair were gentle, soothing. When they trailed over my ear, across my cheek, and down my back, it only took two passes before I let sleep take me.

**~oOo~**

**EDWARD**

_**Lake Crescent, Washington**_

"Well, what'choo know 'bout that?" Quinn sang low as we all stepped out of the trucks just outside the gates. "Ever see _The Shining_?"

Grinning his way, I simply nodded, reminded of Wyoming and his comment about _Texas Chainsaw Massacre._ I glanced to the left and the right, sizing up the black wrought-iron fence in front of me. It was over six feet, with sharp points at the top of each spike. Every ten or twelve feet, there was a solid brick post. The damn thing seemed to go completely around the rather large lodge in front of us.

Sasha sniffed the air, her hackles rising, her teeth flashing, but I'd smelled them before she did. The problem was the breeze was kicking the stench of decay up around us, and I couldn't figure out if the zekes were inside the fence or outside of it.

Pulling my crossbow to the front, I turned to Jasper. "I smell 'em."

"Me, too," he agreed, loading an arrow.

Charlie hopped up on the back of one of the trucks, using the binoculars. He rotated all the way around but then hopped back down. "They aren't behind us," he stated, pulling out his gun and eyeing the padlock that held a chain around the gate.

Bella and Alice walked to the fence, both studying the grounds. It seemed the lodge tried to incorporate as much woods and nature on the property as they could. The lake glimmered just barely from the other side of the main building, and there were two clusters of trees on either side of the place. The fence seemed to disappear into them, but I could see what they were looking for.

"We got movement," I stated, snapping my fingers and pointing to the tree line. "Don't open that gate yet!"

Charlie's gaze snapped up, glancing to me and then inside the property. "We can draw them to the fences. Clear them out first."

"Roger that," I agreed, turning to Sasha, who was shaking as she waited for me. "Sasha, separate."

With a deep growl, she darted down the fence line, barking and pawing at the zekes on the other side. They immediately fell for it, lunging at the fence.

"Hot damn," Jasper sang low when decaying flesh met unforgiving metal. "Gotta love iron."

"Like shooting fish in a barrel," Jacob stated, pulling out a crowbar. "Save the bullets."

Sasha worked her ass off to get them to follow her, but as soon as they were lining up along the fence, my son started forward.

Grabbing his shirt, I said, "Not this time. We're doing this silent. And don't get too close. They'll still pull you in, Freddie. Okay?"

He nodded, staying by my side. My pride in him was palpable. He'd done everything we'd asked of him the entire time we'd been gone. He'd shown skill in the fight just before we reached the 101, remembering everything he'd been taught. After hearing how he'd frozen the first time he'd shot a zeke, I'd worried he'd do it again, but he'd shaken it off. He'd simply told Bella, "They're sick."

The fence was full of reaching, grasping hands, snarling misshapen faces, and snapping teeth. The bastards were hungry. There was a shit-ton of them too, which made me think that some of them got in from either Seattle or the highway before someone had locked their asses inside the fence.

We used knives, crowbars, and machetes, not to mention Jasper and I used our crossbows to eliminate them. They fell at the fence, allowing more to shift forward.

"Dad! We got more. Mom's side!" Freddie called, and my head spun to the other side of the gate, where Quinn, Alice, and Bella were clearing more. They seemed to have come from the other section of trees.

"Go!" Jasper snapped, jerking his chin before releasing an arrow. "We got this side."

I ran past them to the other side of Quinn, opting for my knife, simply because they were lined up right there.

"This place may be too overrun, Ed," Quinn grunted as he jammed his weapon into the eye of a woman whose face was half-missing. "It may not be worth it."

"This fence alone is worth it," Alice told him, and I had to agree with her. "Cleaning house will just take time."

There weren't as many on that side, and we cleared them out pretty quickly. I walked to Bella, merely squeezing her shoulder and kissing the back of her head, but I glanced over when there were yells and commotion.

"Oh shit," Bella whispered as we all watched Charlie drive a knife into the zeke that had pulled Jacob in so hard that he lost his balance.

"I'm okay!" he snapped, standing up, but Charlie pushed him to one of the brick posts. "Charlie, dammit!"

"Let me see you!" Charlie yelled back, and it was rare the man ever raised his voice, so we all sort of came to a standstill as he looked Jacob over. "That was too damn close, son." He finally released him.

"How does a man that size lose his fucking balance?" Alice murmured to no one in particular.

I sniffed, glancing to her and then to Bella, whose eyes were narrowed. "Yeah," I said softly, "been wonderin' that myself." Stepping closer to the gate, I called to Charlie. "I think we're good to head on in. What about you?"

"Yup," he agreed, using the crowbar to crack the lock. "But we drive in, then back up to the doors for easy escape if needed."

He and Jasper pushed the gates open enough for the trucks to be pulled through, only to shut them back. Jasper quickly grabbed our spent arrows, and they hopped in before we pulled closer. Quinn and I backed up straight to the front steps, and then we all piled out once again.

"I want to sweep this place in teams," Charlie stated, looking up at three damn stories of rooms. "I want to know if this place is salvageable, if we can live here, or if we just raid it and go." He eyed me for a moment, his face unreadable. "Edward, you and Jacob take the downstairs. The rest of us will work through the rooms."

He suspected something, which made me smirk and nod. He either knew Jacob was off a bit, or he suspected it. Personally, I was pretty damn certain the man had been drinking the night before, but it wasn't the time to say anything. Or maybe I'd wait to call him out on it.

"Hey, Dad…Edward?" Bella called softly, pointing to the door where a light on the wall glowed dimly. "This place…has power. It's weak, but…"

Quinn backed up a little, gazing up at the roof. "Solar…maybe wind, too, but I'd have to look at the back. I don't see any windmills…"

"Well, this place is a wet dream," Jacob muttered to himself before reaching for the doorknob of the front door. "We'll split up, yeah?" he said to me.

"Yeah, that's fine." I nodded, turning to everyone else. "You guys take Sasha."

"I wanna stay with you," Freddie piped up.

"Freddie, you're…" Bella started, but I stopped her.

"No, he's good. He can stick with me." I knelt in front of him. "You'll stay by my side, do what I tell you, and no arguments. You've been awesome so far, but in here…these things could be anywhere. Got it?"

He nodded fervently. "Yeah, Dad. Got it."

I stood up, kissing Bella's forehead. "Watch yourself. Stick with Jasper or your dad, okay?"

"You two be careful."

Jacob opened the door slowly, and it was dim, but there were enough windows to light the whole damn lobby, not to mention there were a few wall lights that were glowing softly.

"Fuck, we get that shit working right, we're talking refrigeration, hot water, even cooking indoors," Jasper mused aloud. "We gotta get Peter up here. We were just talking solar panels the other night."

"You think you can do something with it?" I asked him softly.

"Maybe. Worth a damn shot, anyway." He slapped my shoulder, pointing to Jacob, who had his back to us. "Watch yourselves," he said, ruffling Freddie's hair, but he bent down to whisper something in my son's ear that I couldn't catch.

Freddie's eyes widened, but he looked to Jasper and nodded. "Okay."

The wooden floors creaked under boots and sneakers. The air inside the place smelled stale, with a touch of death to it, which told me there were zekes somewhere, just not out in the open. Freddie and I drifted to the right, while Jacob took the left. The rest of them aimed for the stairwell just off to the side of the main sitting area. Bella gave me one last glance before following her dad, but I was happy to see Sasha by her side every step.

Freddie and I walked carefully around the front desk, checking offices and restrooms. The room at the very end of the hallway was marked as a conference room, and Freddie pressed an ear to the door.

"I don't know," he whispered. "It's quiet."

"Okay," I whispered, pulling him behind me. "Then you watch my back."

I turned the knob on the door, slowly pushing it open. The stench hit me before the zekes inside could register movement or noise. Luckily, there were enough windows to allow light in, because it only took one motherfucker to start a chain reaction.

Pulling the door closed quickly, I sighed, looking to Freddie, who was braced and ready. "Okay…silence is no longer an option. Get ready, buddy," I told him, shouldering the crossbow and pulling out my .45. "There were about six inside, okay?"

He nodded, raising his rifle. "Okay."

"When I kick this door, it'll shove them back. You aim high and shoot fast."

When he looked ready, I kicked the door as hard as I could, which sent the zekes inside back several steps. Freddie took out two on my left, and I popped off three rounds. The sixth zeke was pretty bad off as it was. With arms missing and a broken jaw, not to mention what used to be a damned expensive suit, he merely fell toward us, and Freddie took him out before I could shove him back.

Holding up a hand to signal for him to wait at the door, I stepped inside the room. It was mess, with blood and chaos everywhere. Tables were overturned, windows were smeared, and a few bodies were so ravaged that they couldn't get up off the floor after they'd turned. I ended them quickly, calling clear.

Freddie peeked in, wrinkling his nose like his mother, which made me smirk and ruffle his hair.

"Good job."

"There's another door," he said, pointing to the last door down the lobby hallway. "First-aid?"

"Looks like it," I agreed softly, pressing my ear to the door. "We'll do this the same way, though I don't think anything's inside. Our shots would've roused them."

Freddie nodded, engaging his rifle as I slowly opened the door. It was a simple clinic office, most likely to treat easy wounds, scrapes, and colds. Nothing major. Nothing out of the ordinary, but I noted everything my parents could use, should we forgo keeping the place. There were some spilled shelves and probably some missing meds, but no zekes, no blood, no chaos.

I faced Freddie, who looked up at me tense and wide-eyed. "We're good." I closed the door and led us back down the hall and into the main part of the lobby.

The fireplace was enormous, and situated around it was a bunch of leather sofas and chairs, not to mention plenty of tables. Two large bookcases flanked either side, filled to the damn top. There was no sign of Jacob, and no sound either, so I led us the way he'd gone.

We passed by what looked to be a souvenir shop; the last headline on the newspaper stand was that the president was dead. We were six months into the virus, so this place had to have shut down right about the time Bella had started for the cabins.

I heard thumps overhead, gunfire, and raised voices, but it ended quickly, along with Sasha's deep bark.

"Mom?" Freddie whispered, but I stopped him.

"Mom's smart, and she's in good company with Grandpa Charlie and Jasper. If they need us, they know where to find us," I vowed to him.

"You're not worried?"

"I'm _always_ worried," I said with a humorless laugh, "but you have to trust who you're with, kiddo, who your mom's with, and you have to trust your mom, too."

He nodded, swallowing thickly. "Are we lookin' for Jacob?"

"Speaking of trusting," I muttered to myself, sniffing the air once and finding it somewhat clear. "Something like that," I answered him. "C'mon."

We entered a dark pub-type room, and my eyes narrowed to focus. There weren't many windows in there, but it was filled with a handful of small tables and soft chairs. Along the right side of the room was a dark wood bar, glass shelves filled with mugs and wine glasses, not to mention a few abandoned bottles of alcohol. The clink of glass from behind the bar caught my ears, and my temper unraveled as I peeked over the top.

The asshole hadn't gotten very far in his search, or maybe he had but couldn't resist coming back in here. He was behind the bar, rummaging around in shelves and stashing a bottle or two in his backpack.

Backing slowly away, I pulled Freddie from the room, setting him atop the souvenir shop counter. "Don't move from this spot, son. No matter what you hear," I told him, my temper barely under control.

"But, Dad…"

"Not an inch. Hear me? I need to have a chat with Jacob…"

Freddie frowned, and it was almost a pout, but he nodded, setting his rifle across his lap.

I pointed to him one more time before stalking back into the bar.

"Find anything?" I called loudly, smirking when the bastard slammed his head on the cabinet door.

"Not much," he sighed, shrugging a shoulder before slinging his pack up on it, and I noticed it was much heavier than before. "There's still the kitchen to check out."

He started for the dining room, but I said, "You know, Jake… I keep asking myself why you stay with us."

"The hell are babbling about, Cullen?" He sighed wearily and turned to face me.

"Well, I'm just wondering… I mean, you don't seem to be all that happy at… What'd you call it? Oh yeah, _Camp Cullen_." I grinned at the name. I rather liked it, but I shrugged at him. "You have no respect for Charlie, even though he's repeatedly saved your ass. You blame my wife for your father, and you despise me and just about everyone around you, so… What gives?"

"Bella did that shit on purpose!" he snapped, pointing to me.

"No, she didn't, and you know it. You know damn well she would've done anything to stop it."

"You weren't there!"

"Neither were you, asshole!" I countered, stepping closer to him. "You left them. You knew you were taking two people off camp, and the results were devastating, but you can't blame them when shit fell apart."

His face reddened, and he set the pack down as he stepped closer. "You have no fucking idea what you're saying… Maybe you should mind your own damn business."

"She _is_ my business. The camp is my business. It's all of our business when you stay blitzed out of your fucking mind, Black. You're gonna slip up, get someone killed, maybe even yourself. That's _my fucking business_! Because it's _my family_ – my wife, my son, my parents. I'll fucking kill you before I allow you to endanger them anymore."

"Aren't you just the All-American hero?" he taunted, shaking his head. "Jesus, Cullen, have you always been this way? A sanctimonious dick?"

"You mean protecting people from self-serving, self-centered pricks like you? Feels that way, doesn't it? I mean…I had to the first time I met you… And you were a useless drunk then, too. Tell me, fuckwit, how many bottles in the bag?"

"I told you to mind your own business, Cullen. I'm not fucking kidding. You might wanna watch that wife of yours… You never know what she's up to when you're not around," he threatened with a grin, pointing to me.

My head fell back with my laugh, and that seemed to piss him off that much more. "Oh, she's not you, Jacob. She's a thousand times better than you, but…" I narrowed my eyes at him. "You knew that. Even back then, didn't you? I bet that fucked you up, knowing she saw through your bullshit and lies, watching her toss you away like yesterday's fucking garbage. That she _still_ sees through it and couldn't care less whether you stay or go." I pointed to the bag. "How many?"

"Go to hell," he sneered, starting to leave the room again.

I was quicker than he was and snatched up the backpack. There were three bottles inside, but I dropped the bag to the floor, smiling at him when I heard glass shatter, smelled the smoky scent of bourbon hit the air.

"Uh-oh," I sang with a chuckle. "Umm, oops?"

I knew he'd snap soon. Some things never changed, and his temper was one of them. I'd heard enough from the people who had dealt with him before I came to the campsite that his temper was quick, sharp. I knew that when drunk, it was worse. But I owed him an ass kicking, simply for one thing.

"Oh, yeah… One more thing," I told him, swinging hard at his face, my fist meeting flesh and teeth as I pinned his ass to the floor by his throat. "That's for daring to _ever_ come at my wife with a broken bottle. Charlie didn't break your neck, but I sure as fuck will. You'll stop drinking, or you're on your own, Jacob. _That's_ my business."

I pushed off him, standing up straight, but he shot up from the floor quicker than I expected. Wrapping me up, he tackled me to the table behind us, sending candles and withered flowers to the floor. The weight of us combined was too much for the damn thing, and it gave way, collapsing beneath us.

His fist connected with my stomach, but mine met his face. Using my legs, I launched his ass over my head, hearing another poor table meet its demise. I rolled over just in time for a barstool to come crashing down over me. Jacob came at me again, but I dodged his swing, putting my boot to his ass and sending him through the swinging kitchen door. The sound of metal and clanging was satisfying as he hit some sort of storage table. Pots, pans, and metal utensils fell to the orange tiles around him.

He snatched up a butcher's knife, but he was untrained, undisciplined with it, so disarming him was simple, easy.

"You won't win this, Jacob," I warned him. "I told you that years ago. Only this time, I don't give two shits whether you're drunk or not…"

"How does a prick like you get to keep every-fucking thing?" he asked with a grunt, shoving me into the metal table.

Pans and spoons skittered across the tile as we fought. He swung hard at my face, catching the scar above my eyebrow and reopening the damn thing. Blinking the blood from my sight, I shoved him full-force into a door, the wood creaking at the pressure it was under.

"You really need to own your shit, Black," I sneered in his face. "Not everything that's happened is someone else's fucking fault."

"Fuck you, Cullen. I should've killed you years ago, you pompous asshole," he wheezed when my hand constricted around his throat.

Grinning, I huffed a laugh. "You can _try_."

Holding Jacob by the throat as he clawed for my .45 strapped to my leg, I pulled my fist back, but the wooden door cracked down the middle, sending both of us to the floor. Suddenly, the stench of decay was overwhelming, snarls and growls and reaching rotten hands grabbed at us, but two gunshots went off, killing the two zekes trapped in the pantry.

I pushed off Jacob, leaning back against the wall, but when he moved, the sound of the rifle engaging, along with a low, deep growl and clicking nails on tile met my ears.

"Don't move, Jacob," Freddie warned him.

I turned my head to see Sasha by my son's side, her head low, her teeth bared, but it was nothing compared to the fierce look on my son's face.

"Freddie…"

"He…He tried to hurt you, Daddy," Freddie stated, his voice wavering a little.

"Yeah, well, we both owe you for saving our necks, pal," I told him, my breathing still heavy as I gazed over to the two zekes in the pantry. "I thought I told you to stay put." I spit blood to the floor, gazing up at him.

"Yeah…but Jasper said not to trust Jacob, that I was to watch your back…_no matter what_."

Grinning, I sighed, rubbing my face and frowning when my hands came away with more blood on them. "Put the gun down, son."

Freddie didn't move, nor did he take his eyes off Jacob, who wasn't quite sure where he stood, I could imagine.

"Now, buddy," I urged him.

"Dad…he… He said mean things to us when you were gone. He tried to hurt you and Mom…"

"Well, now you're square, kiddo," I soothed him, getting up from the floor, but I looked to Jake with a raised eyebrow. "I think Jake knows where he stands, since you just saved his life and all." When Jacob nodded and slowly stood up, I pushed the barrel of Freddie's gun down to the floor, kneeling in front of him. "Look at me, son…" When eyes that matched my own looked down at me, I said, "I'm okay. It was just a disagreement."

"I couldn't let him… I just got you back!" he yelled, glaring up at Jacob. "You leave him and my mom alone." As if to add her opinion, Sasha snapped two barks at Jake.

"You, hush," I told her. "Sit, big girl."

She plopped down onto her haunches but never took her eyes off the tall man behind me.

I looked to Freddie, whose brow was wrinkled. "He doesn't like us. Why is he with us if he doesn't like us?"

"I asked that very question, but I know the answer," I stated firmly, facing Jake. "He has nowhere else to go. And he knows it." I heard voices calling for us, so I turned to Freddie. "Go tell them we're okay, buddy."

Freddie's eyes narrowed shrewdly like his mother. "Sasha, stay!" he ordered, spinning on his heel to walk out the kitchen.

I rounded on Jacob. "You owe him your life. I should've let them have you. Am I clear?" I sneered in his face, pointing toward the pantry.

He nodded, sighing deeply. "Yeah, got it, Cullen."

"I don't care that you don't like me, and you can blame us all for the bullshit you've brought on yourself. I don't give a fuck if you're happy or not. Eventually, everyone will tire of your fucking attitude, even Charlie, who's only trying to do right by you for your dad's sake. But you will get your head straight if the lives of these people are in your hands. This isn't an idle threat, Black. I won't beat your ass next time; I'll kill you."

Charlie burst through the door, eyeing the both of us. "Jesus, Edward…" he groaned, grabbing my face and looking me over. "What the hell happened?"

"Just clearing up a few misunderstandings, Chief," I said, wincing when he poked at my sore fucking face.

Charlie snorted, letting me go and looking to Jacob. "Are they clear now, Jake?" When he nodded, Charlie smiled. "Excellent, because I had that boy Quinn go ahead and empty every bottle of liquor he could find out there in the bar. Hope that's okay with you. Can't bring the little ones here with it all just…you know…sitting around."

I smirked and stepped back to take in Jacob's emotionless face, but I looked to Charlie again. "You want to move us all here?"

"It's safer, bigger, and it'll be warmer come winter, son," he said, shaking his head. "And…if Jasper can get some sort of power going, that combined with the fence makes this the safest place I can imagine."

"Then we have work to do," I told him.

"We do," he agreed, looking to Jacob, "but I'm going to offer anyone who doesn't want to come, doesn't want to _share_ in the work… They can stay behind at Blackwood Lake. Though, I don't advise it, since there are people wanting to take it."

Jacob nodded that the message was received, but before either of us could move, Charlie stopped us again. "Clean up. Both of you. I will not be held responsible for the explosion that comes from my daughter at the sight of you, nor will I hold her back. It would be most entertaining."

Laughing, I grabbed two rags from the closest shelf, tossing one Jake's way. I pressed it to my forehead, wincing at the sting. Jacob wiped his bleeding lip as I dabbed at my bleeding knuckles, but there wasn't much Bella would miss. She'd know it instantly, if our son hadn't told her already.

"And Jacob," Charlie started, shaking his head slowly. "I'm done, son. I've got too much to deal with to keep your ass out of trouble. I don't have the time, and my patience is running thin. Your dad would be disappointed in you, Jacob, but even more? Your mother would be ashamed. You _could_ be a beneficial part of this group, but you choose to be a liability. That being said, if something happens to my family…or _any_ of these people because you're drunk or pissed off at someone, then we'll part ways now. You can take your chances alone. And I do mean _now_…choose, son, because I simply won't have it." Charlie waited, his face fierce and firm, meaning he meant every damn word he'd just said.

Jacob gazed at the floor, licking his split lip and wiping his face again with the rag. "Sorry, Charlie," he said softly. And for the first time in a very long time, he sounded sincere. "It won't happen again."

Charlie led us back through the kitchen and bar, and I smirked at all the empty bottles lined up from one end of it to the other. We found everyone in front of the large fireplace in the lobby. Bella's eyes were blazing when she glanced between us.

When I sat down beside her, she tilted my head, checked my knuckles, and sighed deeply. "How drunk was he?" she whispered just to me.

"Found three bottles in that bag of his."

Her lip twitched as she glanced over at him. "Well, at least he looks worse off than you."

Grinning, I kissed her temple, but we all turned our attention to Charlie as Freddie settled between us.

"If we do this, it won't be easy. And I'd really like to get us in here before the first snow falls," he stated. "But I don't want to leave this place…unattended in the meantime, so how do we do both?" Charlie asked.

Several points were brought up, staying versus going. However, everyone was in agreement that the lodge was damn well perfect for not only the coming winter but for as many people as we needed to keep safe. We talked about clean up, moving, and leaving people behind, simply because now that we'd found the place, and somewhat cleared out the main building, we felt possessive over it.

"I'll stay," Jasper volunteered but looked to me. "You pack for me, Ed. There's not much…"

"Okay," I agreed, looking to Alice when she volunteered as well. "I'll tell Rose to get your things, too, Alice."

"Me, too," Jacob piped up from behind us all. "Charlie, just bring my stuff with you."

"Perfect. We'll leave you guys with ammo, rations, and one truck…just in case. We'll be back in a few days."

We all started to stand, but Quinn made his way to me. "Edward…you want me to stay?" His eyes flickered around the room. "I don't mind, and an extra set of hands can clean up quicker…not to mention it means an extra lookout."

"Yeah," I finally agreed, gripping his shoulder. "I'll make sure to grab your stuff."

"I have most of it," he said, pointing to his backpack and guitar. "But Garrett's got some of my gear in his RV."

"Roger that," I sighed. "You be careful, kid. We'll be back in a few days."

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… There really is a Lake Crescent Lodge. However, I added to it, gave it some…steroids, if you will. ;) I made it bigger, and I added the fences, but its location and some of the interior descriptions are pretty close. **

**Some of you have your theories on Jake. They range all over the place. I'm not sure anyone has come close yet. But usually someone does. **

**If you can't guess… The move is next. Keep those seatbelts on. ;)**

**Due to some RL schedule crap(which never seems to end, mind you), I'll see you guys Thursday. Until then… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N… I just want to thank you guys so much. So many of you tell me that this is your "Drop Everything" fic, and it shows. I just have to thank you for all the recs, reviews, and love I receive on FB and Twitter. You've pushed me well over 2100 reviews. So thank you. :)**

**Remember that seat belt I told you to put on? Yeah, make sure that's secure. I won't even keep you up here. I'll let you get to it. See me at the bottom…**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 16**

**BELLA**

_**Blackwood Lake, Washington**_

_Six months and two weeks after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

I set a box down on the porch of the cabin, glancing around at the entire camp. It was moving day. We'd been at Blackwood Lake for a little over four months. It felt like home, but with the cold air that was blowing through, we knew it wouldn't be a good idea to stay.

There was plenty of activity. Most of us didn't want to leave Alice, Jasper, Quinn, and Jacob alone at the lodge for too long. The possibilities of something happening to them were endless. From a large pack coming through, to survivors looking for someplace safe – anything could overrun them.

RVs, trucks, and the Hummer were all being loaded. Emmett was using one of the four-wheelers with its trailer to move supplies and people's things to the vehicles. The bunker inside Carlisle and Esme's cabin had been emptied, and the ammo in the Hummer was inventoried and ready to go, so all that was left was to pack up personal belongings and get on the road.

We'd left the others at the lodge two days prior, and my dad had explained the location and all its securities to everyone, even offered some of them an out should they want one, but everyone was on board. We had children – especially little Felix and Baby Zoe – to consider with the coming winter. We also had Garrett and Marcus, who were both in their seventies. Neither would do well in cold weather.

"Hey, you okay?" I heard at the bottom of the porch steps, and I smiled at Edward. "What's left, Shortcake?" he asked, picking up the box I'd just set down.

"Um, you have Angela's and Janie's stuff. That's Freddie's," I told him. "I've got to grab the last of ours."

Edward's brow wrinkled, but he nodded as he pulled the box off the porch and walked it to his truck. I turned around and went back inside, rechecking both Freddie's room and the room Angela had been using. Both seemed cleaned out. I stepped into the master bedroom, pulling the bags from the bed to the floor. I double-checked the closet, dresser drawers, and the bathroom for anything left over. Walking back into the bedroom, I jumped a little at Edward leaning back against the closed door.

"What?" I asked.

"You look…lost, baby. Do you…not want to move?"

"We don't have a choice, Edward," I countered, shrugging a shoulder, but I gazed around the room slowly. "I'm okay going wherever as long as we're together, but…"

Edward pushed off the door and sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling me between his legs.

"But…what?"

Smiling sadly, I ran my fingers through his hair as he ran his hands flat up and down the outside of my thighs. His hair needed a trim, but so did Freddie's. His face was now bruised from his fight with Jacob, and my hope was that Jake was worse. The scar above his eyebrow had reopened, but I'd butterflied it as best I could to keep it from scarring even more. And God, all of that just added to the appeal of him, and he probably had no idea. The normally beautiful face was now all rugged and tough. The fact that he'd lost his temper over me, the safety of everyone around us due to Jacob's drinking, it was just…sexy.

I smiled as he waited patiently for me. "I just…" I pointed a finger around the room. "This place…it represents so much. To us, and even more so now. I just… I'm gonna miss it. It was our escape before this virus thing, and after, it became…"

"The end goal," he finished for me softly, smiling a little when I nodded.

"We've always used this place as a getaway, but you realize…we may not come back. Ever."

Edward's nose wrinkled as he nodded and let out a deep breath. "I know," he admitted quietly. "I'm sorry for that, Shortcake."

"I'm not…_sorry_, just nostalgic," I said with a grin. "Maybe a little sad about having to give it up."

"Me, too," he whispered, cupping my face and kissing my lips with the softest of kisses. He huffed a laugh, locking his eyes with mine when he pulled my forehead to his. "You know, this place…it was just the mere idea of it that kept me going. My whole life, it seemed. From both tours overseas, to getting here from Florida… _All I wanted_ was to get here, to you, to Freddie. I kept thinking... just one more state, one more mile, one more whatever…" He sighed deeply, frowning a little. "This is the first time ever that I can't promise we'll come back. And I'm hating it, baby. Can't fucking stand it, if only because I know you love this place."

Tears welled up in my eyes at how sweet that was. "The fact that you're here, that you made it here long enough for us to even make this decision? Edward, you don't understand… We could move to Mars together and I'd be okay." I kissed him lightly. "But we… Everything happened here."

He grinned, and it was sexy and salacious and dirty. I could see it in his eyes that his answer was going to be filled with innuendo. "Oh yeah, it did. _Everything_," he purred against my lips. "You told me you loved me…right there." He pointed toward the door. "We made love for the first time…right here," he said, his voice rough as he pointed to the bed next to his leg. "This poor quilt alone has seen more debauchery than I'd like to admit."

"Liar," I said with a giggle. "You'd admit any debauchery."

"True." He laughed, wrapping one arm around my waist. "Our honeymoon, our vacations…hell, I think Freddie was conceived here. It's all in this cabin, Shortcake. I wouldn't trade it for a fucking thing." He placed his hand flat over my heart, his voice a soft, reverent tone. "_Be still, sad heart, and cease repining. Behind the clouds is the sun still shining. Thy fate is the common fate of all. Into each life some rain must fall. Some days must be dark and dreary_." He kissed my lips when tears fell from my eyes. "It didn't get much darker than when we were apart, baby. And I can't promise many things with how the world is now, but I can promise you that we'll always be together to figure it out." He sighed deeply, looking up at me with love and warmth and just sweetness. "It can't always stay bad, Bella. It can't. I have to believe that. Eventually, things have to settle down so that life can continue; even if it's a new way of life, it still has to continue."

I sniffled a light laugh. "So what you're saying is it's just a building…"

He grinned, kissing me roughly. "Well, no. I was just saying that being with you beats anything, so I can't be sad about leaving this cabin." He raised a deadly sexy eyebrow at me. "But we're taking the quilt."

Laughing, my head fell back, and his lips met my throat with a chuckling kiss. "Oh, my God, I love you."

"Love you, too, Shortcake," he sighed against my neck. "And we'd better finish packing, or I'm going to make us very late leaving. And Charlie won't be happy that it'll be because I'm doing really dirty things to his daughter…married or not."

"Damn…that's too bad," I sighed dramatically.

He pulled back, caressing my face with the backs of his fingers. "I'll make it up to you. Now _that_ I _can_ promise, Bella." His eyes were sweet but heated and loving.

Nodding, I smiled at him as he gently wiped away my tears with calloused thumbs. "I hope so. There is one good thing about this move," I told him, pulling him up from the bed so I could strip the quilt off it.

"What's that, beautiful?"

"There are enough rooms that we won't be sharing a wall," I told him, pointing to the wall that was between our room and Angela's. "And…there's a suite, so Freddie's got his own room…_down a hall_."

He grinned, dragging his tongue along his bottom lip. "Good to know, Shortcake."

Folding up the quilt, I shoved it at him. "Guard that."

He snorted, snatching up one of the bags with his free hand. "With my life, Bella. C'mon…let's go."

**~oOo~**

_**Sol Duc Road, just south of the 101…**_

"Can we still fish?" Tanya asked Edward, but my son watched his dad with hopeful eyes from his spot between them.

"Oh, yeah. It's a bigger lake, too, so different type of fish; not to mention I'm pretty sure I saw a boat," Edward chattered back.

I snickered softly from the back seat of the truck, and Rose joined me as Sasha snoozed between us. Tanya had wanted to ride with Edward, and Rose opted to stay with me. Emmett was currently behind us in the Hummer with Carlisle and Esme, followed by everyone else. We'd locked up the cabins and left as soon as everyone was packed up. We'd kept the caravan as small as possible – Edward's truck, the Hummer, Marcus's RV, Rose's RV, and Dad's truck, which was towing the trailer with the four-wheelers and Jasper's bike. We stuffed as many supplies as we could into the truck beds, piled as many people as we could in every available seat, and the Hummer still had the storage of ammo. Rose's RV, however, had all of my in-laws' medical supplies. Moving nineteen adults – three of them absent – and nine kids wasn't an easy task, but we'd managed to do it in less than two days.

Rose leaned closer to me as the kids started rummaging through Edward's old CD case, finally putting something on. "I can't believe Jacob volunteered to stay behind."

I snorted, shaking my head. "He's a loner, really. And it's not like he hasn't been helpful throughout this whole ordeal. Jake _can_ behave, but he sometimes chooses…poorly." Edward barked a laugh, and I poked the back of his head. "You, hush."

"Well, he's an alcoholic," Rose summed up, shrugging a shoulder. "So was my mother, and so was Royce. There's a point where they stop making conscious decisions and the addictions take over. That doesn't excuse them of wrongdoing, but it explains some of it."

"That's what Jake's mother died from…drinking," I told her, keeping it low as the kids sang along with some God-awful song. "He was probably…eight? I think. And while you're right about poor decisions, he still cheated on me. He still tried to make me think I had to dress a certain way or act a certain way or…whatever."

Edward's scoff turned into a humorous low, growly sigh, ending with the biggest eye-roll ever. When he caught my amused face in the mirror, he smirked, giving me a wink.

"Yeah, but that's…" Rose tapped her temple. "I'm not defending it, but it comes with it all. His self-esteem is suckin' mud, so…he takes it out on everyone else."

I nodded. "I'm sure. And if he tests Jasper, he'll end up with an arrow in his head."

Rose smirked, shaking her head. "That's if he can stay away from Alice."

The truck jerked a little, and I met Edward's curious yet amused gaze in the rearview mirror, which made me laugh silently. Sometimes, he was too damned adorable.

"What? You don't know?" she asked me in a whisper, but she eyed Edward. We both shook our heads. "Oh, you're kidding…"

"Um, Rose…neither of them are gonna confide in us," I said, raising an eyebrow at her. She'd been well aware of Alice's feelings for Edward, and I'd eventually told her about Jasper.

"I don't think anyone would have known, but I sort of…busted them the other night in the tree lookout. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the first time, either."

"Oh hell," I breathed, my mouth hanging open.

"At first, I wondered if it was…" She grimaced, looking to Edward. "Well, he's your cousin, Edward, but I thought maybe it was that. You know, close enough to the real thing, but..."

Edward waved her on, wearing a disgusted look on his face, and she laughed at him, shoving his shoulder. Their relationship was funny but loyal, like siblings. They teased each other relentlessly.

"And he's older, so then I wondered if he was using her, but honestly?" she asked, her eyes wide as she shrugged a shoulder. "I think they're using each other. Or friends with benefits. Or convenience. Whatever label you want to slap on it."

Edward chuckled. "My cousin is no saint."

"I'm certain Alice isn't either," Rose countered wryly, poking his bicep. "She's young, but she's not…"

"But they're both grown. Leave it alone," I cut her off, simply because we had the attention of the kids again. "They'll figure it out." I laughed at Rose's and Edward's silly-ass grins. Personally, I thought it was fantastic – anything to discourage them from Edward and me.

The kids changed CDs, and I ran my fingers through Sasha's fur as she rested her head in my lap. I glanced out the window, my eyes catching a few straggling zekes. They were heading the same direction we were, but I didn't give it much thought until the truck slowed down, and Sasha suddenly sat up, glaring out through the windshield.

"Boof," she huffed, looking from Edward to the windshield.

Rose and I sat forward as Edward turned down the music. The overpass was just ahead, and it wasn't clear.

"Aw, damn," Rose whispered. "Isn't that your dad's truck?"

"Yes," Edward answered softly and slowed down some more.

The truck we'd left back at the lodge was parked beneath the overpass we'd camped under on the way up there. The hood was smoking and looked a little crunched in, and zekes were slowly surrounding the whole area.

Edward slammed on the brakes, shoving the gearshift into park. "Christ, it's Quinn…" When I looked up, the zekes parted just enough to show he was right. He turned to us. "Tanya…run back to Emmett and tell him we need to clear them out. Freddie, you run back to Grandpa Charlie and let him know we have a herd."

The kids were unbuckled and out of the truck instantly, running to the vehicles that had stopped behind us. Rose and I pulled out our guns, and all three of us piled out onto the asphalt. Edward's crossbow was just behind the back window in the bed. He pulled it out and looked back when he heard approaching footsteps.

Emmett, Carlisle, and my dad were all arming themselves, along with Seth, Randall, and Peter.

"How many?" Emmett asked needlessly, because he glanced over. "Oh, damn…I'm thinking thirty, but shit…the kid's wrecked or somethin'."

Sasha paced back and forth, looking back at us for the word. She whined, then growled, only to whine again.

"She's losin' it, Edward," Emmett pointed out.

"Yeah, I know." Edward loaded an arrow as he doled out instructions. "Spread out; try not to aim at the cab. Charlie, watch the ones moving in from behind us!"

"Already on it!" he answered, and he and Carlisle, along with Randall, spun to face the other way.

Edward looked to me when Freddie and Tanya returned with their guns, and then he gave Sasha's order. "Sasha, separate!"

We lined up across the road, though I kept Freddie next to me, and Rose did the same to Tanya. The scraping of Sasha's nails on the road was loud but not as loud as the growls and barks she pushed out at the pack of zekes. They slowly started to abandon the truck, turning our way. As soon as she had their complete attention, she moved them toward us and out from under the overpass.

"Steady…" Edward ordered, giving silent signals to Emmett, who was using his sword. They split apart, flanking the pack. "Now!"

Sasha darted out of the way, circling around and leaping over the dead we were dropping to the ground. Gunshots and arrows tore through the pack. When the majority of the zekes were at least on the ground, Sasha ran at full speed to the truck that was still running, but steam or smoke continued to billow up out of the engine. She scratched, whined, and looked to Edward desperately, but he was busy.

"C'mon," I said to Rose, and she and I ran to the truck, only slowing when I saw there was blood on the _inside_ of the window.

"Oh, fuck! Carlisle! Esme!" I yelled, opening the door.

Quinn was pale, covered in blood, and barely conscious. He looked younger than I'd ever seen him and so very scared. His usual happy face was pained, his brow sweaty, but the blood was coming from his thigh.

"Sweetie? Quinn?" Rose called him, reaching for his face.

"Edward!" he gasped, reaching a hand out, and I took it. "I need…"

I turned, calling for Edward, and my husband ended a zeke still writhing on the ground before his head snapped up. "Now, Edward!"

Edward ran to the truck. "Oh, Christ, kid… What happened?"

Quinn reached for Edward and gripped his jacket. "I tried… I… Edward…you gotta get up there… Survivors. Guns… I tried to come to you, but they…"

"Okay, okay, okay…" Edward soothed, looking over his shoulder. It was the first time in a long time I'd seen my husband panic. His face paled, his eyes sought out his parents, and finally, he turned back to Quinn. "We need to get you out of this fucking truck. C'mon, kid, wrap your arm around my shoulder."

Edward practically lifted Quinn into his arms, only to set him carefully down onto the asphalt. Carlisle and Esme joined them, immediately getting to work on Quinn. They used a ripped shirt to stem the blood flow, cut open his jeans in order to see how badly the wound was, and finally, looked to Edward.

"He'll be okay, son," Carlisle told him. "We have to remove the bullet, but he'll be okay. He'll be out of it, but at least it didn't hit the femoral, so…"

Edward nodded, reaching for Quinn's face to speak to him. "Quinn, can you stay with me?" When the boy nodded, he smiled a little. "How many? Where were they? And Alice, Jasper, and Jacob? Tell me what you can, kid…"

Quinn was shaky, but he squeezed his eyes closed. "Um, I don't know how many… They opened the gate. We tried to hide, but…they surrounded us. Then…then… Zekes, Ed…lots of them. They followed them in. I don't think they meant to, but I saw them come in. The others…Jasper… He said they were the same people as before. He told me to run, to go, so I don't know…" He opened his eyes wider. "I'm sorry, Edward! I tried."

"Aw, Quinn, you did fine," Edward soothed, looking up to his parents. "You swear to me he'll be okay?"

Esme's face warmed. "Yeah, sport. We're going to move him to Rose's RV and clean him up, but your father's going with you." Her smirk was wicked but without a single bit of humor to it.

Edward nodded, swallowing thickly, before he stood up. Oh, he was pissed. He was beyond pissed… He was livid. His eyes locked on to mine as he shook his head slowly. I knew he cared for the boy. He treated Quinn like a little brother, but I was pretty sure my husband's entire family had adopted him.

"I'mma kill a motherfucker," Emmett muttered threateningly, looking down at Quinn as Carlisle administered a shot of some sort.

Edward was practically shaking when he walked to my dad. "I need… I want…"

"Edward," I called softly, walking to him and cupping his face. "Look at me. Calm down. Think… Quinn will be okay; now we just have to worry about the others. I'll help you. We all will. Okay?"

He nodded a little, though he was still shaking.

My dad eyed Quinn and turned to Edward. "Son, name it."

My husband's eyes were hellfire when they locked on to mine and then my dad's. "I'm going in, and I swear to God, if they've…"

Dad gripped his shoulder and nodded but turned to face the others. "Okay, listen up. We're gonna set up a temp camp right here. Randall, Peter, you'll go with Edward. Angela, Seth, Maggie…if you'll help clear this road, we'll set up under the overpass. It's safe." My son ran by, but my dad stopped him. "Not this time, Freddie. I need you and Tanya and Janie here," he stated, locking gazes with me, and I thanked him silently. "You're gonna be my lookouts while we set up."

The way he said it was not to be argued, and it made my son nod, wide-eyed and nervous, but he readied himself.

Edward finally calmed enough to think, and he rounded on those of us who were going. "Emmett…check that truck, see if it'll at least get us as far as the lodge. Rose, Bella, we need ammo and weapons. When we get close enough, we're going in silent. We don't know where Alice, Jasper, or Jacob are, or if they're hurt… We've got survivors and zekes, so we'll have to watch our backs no matter what."

We jumped into action, but just before we were about to get into the truck, Freddie ran to us. "Wait!"

Edward knelt in front of his son, his face solemn. "I need you to stay with Grandpa Charlie, buddy."

"But—"

"No, son. Not this time." Edward looked to me. "I need Mom's help to go stop some bad people, and this isn't…" He sighed, looking to me.

"Freddie, this isn't a normal scouting trip," I hedged, kissing his forehead, but I didn't know how to explain we were about to do, because if it was the same survivors who had invaded our camp the day Edward arrived, then they were bad news and wouldn't survive this time.

Edward finally steeled himself, taking Freddie by his shoulders. "Remember what my job used to be?"

"Yeah, a soldier. You fought bad guys."

"Exactly, kiddo. I have to do that again for Jasper and Alice and Jacob, to protect the new place, and I need you here to help protect the camp. I need you _here_ so that Mom and I can concentrate on getting this done. Okay?"

"How long?"

"If I have any say, not long," Edward vowed, and he meant it. We were about to go in and open up hell.

"Actually," Dad said, joining us, "I need a timeframe, too."

"Give me…three hours," Edward stated with a sneer, which only blossomed into anger when he caught sight of them moving Quinn into Rose's RV. "We're five minutes away, but once we're there, we'll be going in on foot and silent."

"Three hours," Dad agreed, handing Edward a flare gun. "If you need help, you send up one of these. If it's clear? Two. We'll come to you either way."

Edward handed it to me to stow in the bag of weapons I'd grabbed from the Hummer. He kissed his son's head, whispering in his ear. Then I did the same, telling him we loved him.

Carlisle, Randall, Peter, Rose, and Sasha were already in the bed of the truck Quinn had been driving. Emmett was behind the wheel, and he revved the engine as Edward and I hopped into the back. The poor truck sputtered, but Emmett forced it back facing north toward the lodge.

**~oOo~**

**EDWARD**

The truck was barely going to make it the few miles from the overpass to the turnoff for the lodge. The radiator was shot, spewing fluids and hissing out steam. Quinn had to have nailed a few zekes with it in his escape.

The thought of the boy made my temper skyrocket; my vision practically blurred red. I knew he'd be okay, but seeing him so scared had rocked me. He was such a laidback kid, easy-going and level-headed. He'd proven his loyalty time and time again, and even while in shock and pain and bleeding, he'd busted his ass to try to warn us.

A small, warm hand covered my balled-up fist. Immediately, I welcomed Bella's fingers lacing with mine.

She gave my hand a squeeze, leaning to my ear. "He'll be okay," she whispered, and I nodded, leaning closer to her as we drove down the road. I needed her calm, her bright spirit. Otherwise, I'd fuck this up, make a terrible decision based on anger and panic. When I looked her way, she reached up, raking her fingers through my hair. "I already put a bullet in the leader once. I'll do it again."

Smirking, I nodded. "You've already lost people to this bastard. I won't lose more."

"You won't," Rose piped up. "You won't. Quinn's tough, and your mom's pretty badass, so…just erase that from your head. Non-issue." She smiled at my dad when he laughed.

"Edward," Randall rumbled from the other side of the truck bed. "How's this place laid out? How you want to do this?"

I glanced around us, knocking on the window. Emmett immediately pulled the truck over, and when it shut off, the poor thing gave a final wheeze.

"Motherfucker made it all the way from Mississippi," Emmett muttered once out of the truck, giving the tire a kick. "Not even a month here, and she's dead as a doornail."

I snorted, but he was right. "Okay, listen up…" I hopped down from the truck, and everyone followed me to the roadside. In the dirt and with Bella's help, I drew a basic map of the lodge, the fence, and the woods. "Emmett, you, Rose, Peter, and dad will take the right flank. Randall, you and Bella are with me. I'll take Sasha. Get off this road, stay silent and out of sight. Stick to the woods and climb at the far corners. Kill only the zekes in your way. Am I clear?" I asked them.

"Yeah, got it. You want to use them against these survivors," Dad summed up.

"Exactly. Why make it easy on their asses?" I muttered, going back to the map drawn in the sand. "The lodge is here. There are access doors at the back left corner – kitchen. There are doors at the main lobby off a porch, and there's a window easily accessible in a conference room right here." I marked an X at the right back corner of the square.

"We'll have a hostage situation should they catch wind of us," Emmett added, his face fierce and focused. "I mean… we can go in there silent, but we have no idea where the other three are."

I held up the sniper rifle, securing the silencer on the end. "That's why you are going to plant yourself somewhere with a good shot…and you'll start as soon as you see the first asshole."

Emmett grinned, taking the weapon. "Roger that."

Dad stood up, shouldering his weapon, but looked at Bella. "Quinn said these were the same people as before. Tell me what you know…"

Bella nodded. "The leader…tall, older…graying hair, broad shoulders, slimy smile." She gestured to her head. "They carry military-style weapons. Automatic. They seem pretty desperate but unorganized. We took out three of their people the day you guys showed up, but they also killed Eric and shot my dad."

Dad looked to me. "Unorganized could work in our favor – automatic weapons or not. We'll have the element of surprise, not to mention the zekes they've attracted. But Edward… No matter _what_ we find in there, we're taking this back. Am I clear?"

"Sir," I grunted, kicking the dirt map and scattering it to the wind.

I knew he was worried about Jasper and Alice, and probably Jacob too, despite the jackass's attitude, so this was now…personal. This was protecting our own, protecting the future of the people we'd all managed to keep alive, who'd managed to help keep _us_ alive these past six months. It was family and friends. It was the prospect of a safe future, and it was _ours. _We wouldn't go down without a fight.

Spinning my finger in the air and pulling my crossbow around, I grunted, "Move out. We'll meet at the back of the property. Clean it. Spotless."

We split up right there, each team disappearing into the woods on either side of the road. The closer we got to the lodge property, the more I could see, hear, and smell the zekes. I eyed the gate, noting it was open, maybe even broken, but there was no movement other than a few wandering dead.

The woods were quiet up to the fence, though I could hear the fuckers on the other side. I eyed my team, placing a hand on Bella's shoulder, but spoke to the two of them.

"Bella, you have no silencer, so either stay at my back or use your knife." When she nodded, I looked to Randall, who was pulling out a machete similar to Quinn's. "Perfect."

We moved to the very corner of the fence, where we were hidden in shade and trees from the lodge. Kneeling down to the ground, I dug a space just below the fence in order for Sasha to squeeze under.

"Sasha, on me," I ordered in a whisper, rubbing her head when her body tensed, but her eyes were sharp on me.

She sat down, waiting for Randall to scale the fence, and then he spun around and helped Bella to the ground. Once I was up and over, the big dog scrambled under the fence, stopping cold at my side. She was sharp on her surroundings but silent. The dog could sneak up on just about anyone or anything when she wanted to. In fact, her steps were next to nothing as they met the forest floor.

We were met with little to no resistance as we kept to the trees, using it as cover. Randall handled two zekes quickly and quietly, and I took out two more, snatching my arrows back. The shade and staying quiet were our only hope to keep the element of surprise. Luckily, the woods ran straight down to the lake, as did the fence, which also meant that we were covered all the way to the back of the lodge.

I could smell the lake above the stench of the dead. From our spot in the cluster of trees, I could see the other team working silently along the other side of the lodge. Emmett positioned himself behind some shrubbery, getting low and completely disappearing from my view. At the back, there were two vehicles – a car and a truck – and both had bullet holes in them, which made me smirk. These were the exact same bastards who had attacked the cabins the day we'd come home.

Rose and my dad quickly and quietly worked their way to the opposite corner of the building. I smiled when they checked the window of the conference room I'd told them about, and then both slid through.

"Rose and Dad are inside," I whispered to Bella and Randall, and both nodded. "Peter's on the other side of their truck…" I trailed off when Sasha tensed, her low growl merely a vibration against my leg. I glanced behind us. "Shit," I hissed. "We got company."

There was a herd of zekes bursting through the front gates, stumbling and dragging themselves inside the property. They were aimless for the moment, but eventually, they'd catch our scents.

"I have an idea," Bella piped up in a rushed whisper. "Blow their cars. It'll draw out the people inside and pull the zekes to the noise and fire."

I barely gave it thought, simply because it was the perfect plan. It would also draw them out into the open so that Emmett would have his shots.

I sniffed once, glancing at the oncoming dead. "Perfect. Bella, Randall, I want you inside that closest door before it blows. It leads to the kitchen, through the bar, and into the main lobby. The bar is dark, so you'll have cover. I'll set off the truck." I took the backpack from Bella, handing her an extra clip. "Go!"

They worked quickly, using trees and shrubs for cover, but Randall plastered himself to the wall before checking the window of the kitchen door. Once he'd turned the knob and pushed Bella inside, he closed it just as silently.

Working the same way, I met up with Peter behind the truck.

"Look," he whispered, pointing toward the deck, but it was the large windows to which he was referring. "He's got them."

My temper reignited with an inferno. On their knees – bound and gagged – were Jasper, Jacob, and Alice. They were surrounded by several armed people, though the one who met Bella's description as the leader was pacing casually back and forth. The fucker _did_ have a slimy smile.

"We've got zekes inside the fence, and we're gonna draw those motherfuckers out," I explained, digging around in the backpack for something specific. "And we'll add to their damn misery by drawing the zekes back here. I want you with Emmett, aiming and at the ready. Go!"

I found one last glass jar of diesel, and using my knife, I punched a hole in the top. I ripped a piece of my T-shirt off, stuffing it through the hole. I gave another glance, a silent signal to Emmett once Peter had joined him, and then lit the bastard, dropping it underneath the truck. I took off back for the tree line, diving behind a fallen log just as the whole thing exploded.

A fireball lit up the shaded area of the back, and the truck bowed up off the ground, coming back down on the small car next to it. Grinning that I'd destroyed _both_ of their vehicles, I exchanged my crossbow for the rifle on my back. The zekes did exactly as expected. The noise, the fire drew them in, which just proved how useless they were. But even better were the armed people coming out the back doors to investigate.

Emmett was smart to wait. I knew him well enough that he was counting down, watching the inside at the same time as he watched them pour out the back deck doors. One fucker, two… Once three, four, five, and six walked out armed and at the ready, Emmett let loose, taking three of them down, one right after the other. Even better were the zekes moving on in for the fresh meat.

I aimed, knowing that my rifle would set off the noise, pulling the trigger at the three men on my side of the deck. Again, the zekes fell on the bodies quickly, and so far, they were ignoring the gunfire. There may have been ten of the survivors, but six were now gone.

I stood up, taking advantage of the fact that the zekes were distracted with their feeding. I gave a sharp whistle to Emmett, using hand signals for him to watch the windows. I ran low, hiding behind tree trunks when bullets pinged my way. Bella was right. They were unorganized…and untrained. They couldn't shoot for shit. Though, they were smart enough to slam the doors to the deck to keep the dead from coming in.

Keeping low, I ran to the door that Randall and Bella had gone in, slipping inside quietly. I locked gazes with my wife, who was staying low at the kitchen door. The mess from the fight I'd had with Jacob was still scattered everywhere, but I noticed the two dead zekes from the pantry were gone. Bella put her finger to her lips and then waved me forward.

She slowly and silently pushed the kitchen door open to give me a view of the bar and dining area. Randall's large form was kneeling behind an overturned table, his gun aimed and ready toward the lobby, where raised voices and the sound of flesh meeting flesh reached my ears.

Jerking my chin, I told Bella to follow me. Staying low, we left the kitchen to join Randall. He barely had a shot, but I could see Alice, with her hands behind her back and a gag around her mouth. Tears streamed down her face, but she wasn't watching the man pacing back and forth; she was looking at my cousin.

I'd seen Jasper in fights, seen him beat the hell up when we were kids, but this was different. He was battered. Sweat beaded on his brow, not to mention blood trailed down his face from cuts on his temple and above his eye. His nose looked broken, and it was bleeding too, though he was gagged like Alice. His usual calm demeanor was gone, and he glared at the man still pacing. Jasper fought his bound wrists but didn't seem to make much headway.

"Come out, come out wherever you are," someone sang from the lobby. "I know you're in here. I saw you run to the door. You blew up my truck, so the least you can do is show your fucking face, asshole. Otherwise, I'm gonna start killing these three by the count of five… One…two…"

I stood up, but Bella grabbed my hand, shaking her head.

Gripping her face gently, I whispered, "Watch my back. Watch for Dad," against her lips.

Stepping from the shadows, I stayed armed and at the ready. My eyes caught movement down the hall behind this asshole, but I kept my face blank of any reaction.

"Three," the tall man said, smiling when I stepped into view. "Ah, see? That wasn't so hard, was it? Drop the gun, asshole, or I put a bullet in her head."

Quickly, I assessed the room as I set my rifle down. There were four of his people left. One man had a gun to a very beaten Jacob, two younger boys on either side of the doorway were flinching at the zekes pressed to the window, and another woman was guarding the front door to my right. That last one looked scared shitless. The leader had his gun trained on Alice, though it wouldn't take much to point it at Jasper. All automatic weapons, all untrained.

I locked my gaze on the leader, shaking my head, but I needed to give my dad something to work with. "Five of you? That's it?" I tsked dramatically, pointing to each and every one of them on purpose. "Well, there _were_ eleven, I suppose, but so much for that," I scoffed tauntingly, pointing my finger toward the deck, where his people were now turning. "Wow, that was quick."

I grinned at his anger, tilting my head at him. "We haven't met. I mean, you obviously know some of my people… The name's Cullen."

"Caius," he stated, a strange calm coming over him. "Yeah, I didn't see you the last time I ran into these two assholes. See…they denied me what I wanted. They killed three of my people…"

"Just three?" I gasped. "So far, I'm winning. Keep going, Caius…"

Caius's face blazed red with anger the more I taunted him, but his voice stayed calm. "You won't deny me again," he snapped, bringing the butt of his gun hard and fast to the back of Jasper's head, causing him to fall forward, but the tough bastard merely sat back up and shook it off.

My eyes locked with my cousin's but then moved back to Caius. "This won't end well. You're surrounded. You've most likely got crosshairs on your head right now. The only reason you're still standing is that shooting you would break that glass." I pointed to the deck doors, where zekes pawed and scraped at the windows mindlessly.

He shot a panicked glance toward the deck but then flashed back to me.

"We don't want to kill you, but we will defend what's ours. We'll defend our people. There's not many of the living left," I told him. "It doesn't have to be this way…"

Caius abandoned his position behind Alice and Jasper, walking to me…with a limp, I noticed, which made me puff up with pride in Bella at having already wounded the asshole in front of me. He pressed his rifle straight at my chest. That was his first mistake, simply because he had no idea what I was capable of, not to mention I was willing to bet it was taking everything Randall had behind me to keep Bella quiet and in check. I'd owe him for that later.

I met the man's gaze with zero emotion. "If you shoot me, you won't live to pull that fucking trigger again."

Jacob started to struggle, bringing his hands up behind him, despite being bound. He caught his captor in the balls, causing him to double over. I could see he'd done it on purpose, started the commotion, simply because movement shifted from the hallway behind the lobby. Keeping the rifle pointed at my chest, Caius pulled a pistol from the small of his back, aiming it at Jacob and pulling the trigger.

"That asshole…" Caius sighed once Jake slumped to the floor, a single gunshot to his head. "You shouldn't have trusted him, by the way. He was offering up your old camp, even volunteered to go with us…said he needed '_a change_.'"

"I'm sure," I muttered with no emotion, breaking my gaze from Jacob's dead body in order to meet Caius's gaze as he put the gun back into his waistband. I couldn't focus on Jake at the moment – no matter what he'd promised the asshole in front of me.

For a split second, I wondered if Jacob had offered that up to get Caius out of here or if he would've abandoned the group he'd been with since the beginning. We'd never know now.

Taking a slow deep breath, I let it out as I glanced around the room one more time. My dad was in position at the end of the hall. Rose had her gun trained on the girl at the front door. Jasper was eyeing the man who had been behind Jacob, and I was pretty sure I heard footsteps behind me, but I wasn't going to turn around to look.

Caius opened his mouth to speak, but I shifted quickly, driving my fist straight into the leg that he favored while my other hand pushed away the rifle barrel. He cried out in pain, his knees practically buckling underneath him. Rose fired her weapon at the same time my father stepped from the shadows. He took out the boy in the left-hand corner. Jasper was off his knees and running, now unbound and a small knife in hand, but he drove a shoulder into the man who had been guarding Jacob. They fell to the floor in a heap, taking a small table with them. The boy on the right side of the windows fell, too, though I wasn't sure who shot him.

I punched Caius, driving another fist into his arm, and it gave a satisfying snap as the rifle fell. He swung at me, but I wrapped him up and tackled him. His pistol fell from his waistband to the wood floor with a thump, skidding away, but we both struggled for it. Fingers barely grazed at it, and I punched his face twice to stop him. He got a cheap shot in to my jaw, but I still fought his hand that was barely able to reach his weapon.

"Edward, move!" Bella called out, and I rolled off Caius as two rounds popped off in the room – one from Bella, the other from Emmett, who was stepping out of the bar, the rifle still smoking.

I collapsed back to the floor with a sigh, and Bella was instantly there, along with Sasha. I wasn't sure who was more worried.

"Edward, you okay?" Bella asked, gently touching my face, my chest, my eyes.

"Yeah, baby…" I groaned when I sat up, smirking when she continued to fuss over me anyway. "I'm okay."

"You know, I'm really tired of one of my favorite faces taking all this abuse," she muttered, smiling a little when I snorted at her. But her face fell at the sight of Jacob. "Damn," she sighed, shaking her head.

"Yeah." I stood up from the floor, offering her a hand to help her up.

Rose was untying Alice, and Jasper was pulling off his gag as he glanced around, only to look back to me as he picked up one of their automatic rifles. "They followed us here and then snuck up on us. They caught Alice outside getting water. We had no choice but to surrender. I practically threw Quinn out the door, but they were shooting at us. He made it, I take it?"

I nodded my head. "He caught a stray bullet in the leg. We found him on the way here." I held up a hand when he opened his mouth. "He'll be fine."

"Which reminds me," Dad said, stepping forward. "Gimme that flare gun. We're gonna need help with these zekes. Might as well bring them all in."

Bella turned to Jasper once my dad stepped out onto the front porch. "Did Jake really say that stuff?"

"I don't know, Bells," he sighed, wiping his face on his sleeve. "I think his size intimidated them, because they beat the pure piss out of him first in another room. Hell, I'm pretty sure we all intimidated them, which would be why they waited to catch us all split up, instead of hitting the cabins again. They started with Jake, and then they went to work on me." He groaned when he touched the bridge of his nose tentatively. "Fuckers broke my damn nose!"

The front door slammed shut, and my dad walked to him. "C'mere, son," he said, reaching for Jasper's face.

"Oh, that shit's gonna hurt," I mumbled, turning around to pick up my rifle. I grinned when Jasper's foul language hit the air in every way imaginable after the large _crack_ filled the room.

"Edward, it's not funny!" Alice reprimanded me, and I smirked at the change in her. She was now protecting my cousin, who looked a little uncomfortable about it but said nothing as he tried to wipe up his face.

"Oh, it's hilarious! That asshole broke my nose when I was sixteen. Laughed the whole fucking time Dad put mine back. We're even." I pointed to Dad, who was nodding with an amused smirk on his face.

Jasper cracked the fuck up, despite his pain. "Yeah, well… You deserved that shit, Ed. You almost wrecked my bike. I love my bike!"

Bella, Emmett, Alice, and Randall all burst out laughing, but it was short-lived when the zekes outside got a little louder, a little rowdier.

"Shit," I sighed. "C'mon, we'll start clearing these bastards out. The rest can help once they get here." I made for the kitchen again so I could come around behind the herd.

"Edward," Randall called, pointing to the bodies in the room. "What do we do with them?"

My eyes fell to Jacob, and suddenly I felt weary and sore. I gazed around the room at the people who had survived with us this far. I thought about the ones that were probably scrambling to pack up and head our way. We'd been through hell, and we'd still keep fighting until we didn't have to anymore. Jacob was never going to be my best friend, but he had fought for us, for the camp he seemed to hate or resent. Regardless of everything that had transpired – past, present, drinking, fights – he had been a part of us, one of us.

I looked to Bella, who was watching me carefully. Sometimes my heart ached with my love for her, and now was no different as I saw the sadness on her face. No matter how bad that asshole got, no matter what stupid fucking decisions he made, she never wanted to see him killed. It wasn't due to any feelings. No, it was just…Bella. She never wanted the people she knew to suffer, and I wondered if she knew just how badly he suffered, knowing he'd ruined the best thing that ever happened to him: her. If it had been me, I'd have been utterly fucking broken knowing I messed up a chance with her. And I wondered if she simply pitied him this whole time, like she pitied Jasper about his misguided feelings while we were apart. I was pretty damn sure my sweet, beautiful girl just felt sorry for Jacob.

Her brow furrowed, but she looked to me. I leaned in to kiss her forehead, pulling back to nod a little.

"We'll bury Jacob…properly. The rest can burn once we clean up. C'mon. Let's get started."

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… Jacob's fate was planned from the get-go. There wasn't ever going to be a HEA for him; he was too damaged, too angry. To give him a girl/love wouldn't have fit him. And no, he didn't have a crush on Edward, which may have been THE FUNNIEST theory you guys sent my way! **

**I have to thank Beffers87 for the amazing manip she made for me with a Walking Dead pic. It's fantastic! :D **

**RMF will be back again Sunday, so I'll see you guys then with a pic tease in there somewhere. Until then… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N… You guys make me LOL about Jake, truly. I have a bit of an explanation about him at the bottom.**

**I'll let you get to this chapter. Most of you were interested in the new place, so go on…I'll see you at the bottom…**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 17**

**BELLA**

_**Lake Crescent, Washington**_

_Seven months after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

"Okay, Jasper, try it now!" I yelled down from the roof.

Angela and I chuckled when Jasper and Peter darted back inside the shed to check the solar generators. The panels on the roof were covered in leaves, branches, and just plain muck. They'd sent the two of us up there to clear it off.

"God, it's beautiful here," Angela said, sitting down by the chimney.

When I sat beside her, I gazed over the place. "It is," I agreed, "and I have a feeling it's gonna start snowing soon."

"Hmm." She nodded, and then we both sat quietly for a moment, continuing to look out over the grounds, trees, and lake.

The lodge was in full swing. It had taken almost an entire week to clean it up, clear out the zekes, air out some of the rooms they'd been in, and get the place ready for habitation. The fences had been checked, re-checked, and checked again. The gate was repaired from where Caius had broken it, and we were completely encircled, safely locked inside. To go to the dock of the lake, we had to leave the lodge grounds out of a smaller gate, but no one went alone, and we'd learned to watch for zekes pressing against the fences. The guys had also removed the destroyed vehicles that Edward had blown up.

Today was the attempt at getting the power to actually work, if only at night. The solar panels were in perfect shape, but the streamline windmills had been in disrepair. My gaze fell to Quinn and Edward, who were currently cleaning them, oiling them, and trying to get them up and running. Quinn's leg was wrapped and sore, and he hobbled around most days on crutches that Carlisle had found in the first-aid office, but his spirit was high and he tried his best to help.

I gazed out over the lake, smiling at the sight of my dad, Carlisle, Freddie, and Janie. They were all fishing out in a small metal boat. The water was beautiful, and I could tell my boy was in grandpa heaven. When they'd all shown up after we'd sent up the flare, Freddie had been almost frantic when he arrived. He'd practically climbed Edward to make sure he was okay, that he was safe, and he'd clung to me like a spider monkey that night, so I'd had no choice but to sleep with him in his new room. He'd settled down by the next day, especially when his dad had promised no more separations. Though, I wasn't sure who that promise was aimed at more – Freddie or me.

The schedules, the night watches, the school classes for the kids, the hunting – it was all falling into place slowly. The routine had barely changed once we all got here, just simply the location. Only here, we used less ammo, less fuel, and hopefully, we'd have some sort of power – if only on occasion.

Emmett and Randall were chopping wood for all the fireplaces inside, since at night, the temperature dropped significantly. They were stacking it up on the deck as best they could, though there was more stacked behind the greenhouse that Marcus, Garrett, and Sue were currently working on. They weren't quite sure how it would hold up over the winter, but they had high hopes for spring.

Finally, my eyes fell to the newest and only grave on the property. It was set in a small grassy area facing Lake Crescent. I didn't know how I felt about Jake's death. Dad had taken it the hardest, feeling like he'd failed his best friend, but none of us would ever know if Jacob was trying to protect us, leave us, or both when he'd done what he did with Caius. Either way, it ended up getting him killed, but it gave us a chance to fight, to win, and now to thrive.

Angela heard my sigh and nudged me. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking about Jacob," I told her softly, wrinkling my nose a little. "I just…" I shrugged, not knowing how to word it.

She nodded, her face serious for once. "Aw, yeah. I know. He was an ass, but…"

I huffed a laugh but nodded. "He was. He antagonized Edward to no end. He drank too much, and he blamed me for his dad. But he… I don't know…" I trailed off.

"I think he was jealous, Bella," she stated, picking up a pine cone and tossing it off the roof. "I didn't know him like you guys – there was no history with me – but I could see it. It rolled off of him in waves. I think he drank to cover it up, and then it turned to anger. He…envied you." She held up her hand. "I don't think he had feelings for you anymore. But I think he was jealous of the whole thing that surrounds you, sweetie. Which is easy to do when you look at it."

When I looked at her curiously, she merely smiled. "Oh, Bella… Take it from someone on the outside of this…" She gestured to the camp. "There's a lot of history with some of these people, and the loyalty among you is thick, unwavering. And there's Edward… None of us truly thought he'd show up, but _you_ did. Freddie did. And he brought with him even more history and family. You guys get to keep each other, and Jacob…he kinda lost everything. And while some of it was his own doing – which only added to his bad attitude, 'cause he knew it – the rest is shocking."

She sighed, looking over at his grave. "I'd like to think he manned up before he died. I'd like to think he was trying to get those people out of here. But…I don't know."

"I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not," I said wearily, my eyes falling to Edward as he and Quinn put the windmill back into a standing position. He was beautiful and strong and much more relaxed than he'd been in days since we'd arrived. I was pretty sure he was shouldering Jacob's death, too. He'd threatened my ex more times than I could count, and usually for good reason, but the circumstances surrounding it all were strange. Despite their past, they'd tried to fight for the same thing at the end, and I think that bothered Edward.

"I'm very lucky." I smiled over at her. "I'm just…lucky. I don't know any other way to put it. My family is capable and smart and trained to survive."

Angela smiled back. "You are, which makes me lucky. I'm glad I'm a part of it. You guys welcomed Janie and me with open arms, I can't thank you enough for that. You guys tried to do that with Jacob, despite your past, but…he wouldn't have it. His loss."

I eyed the grave again, sighing deeply. "It's strange, thinking he hated us before he died. That he blamed me for his dad."

"I don't think he did. Honestly," she said with a laugh when I looked at her like she was crazy. "I think he blamed himself, and I think he took it out on the one person he knew could take it. You. You know, Ben used to do the same thing – lash out when he felt off or wrong. It isn't right, but people do stupid shit when they feel…well, shitty."

I snorted at her but nodded.

She nudged me, saying, "He trusted you; you could tell. He knew how strong you were. He'd never say it, simply because it was his old fuck-ups that probably made you that way. And from what I heard from Alice, he knew you guys were coming the day he died. He knew that everyone would fight, so… He may not have shown it, but there was something of a human being in there."

I nodded again. "Yeah…"

A sharp whistle caught my ears, and I smiled down at Edward.

"You're making me nervous up there, Shortcake," he said, grinning when we laughed at him. He held out his arms. "Come down before I have a heart attack, okay?"

"Okay," we sang back to him, but I pointed toward the closest window, saying, "We'll go in the smart way so we don't break you."

He tsked, rolling his eyes, but waved us on. "Just get your sweet ass inside," he stated, which made me laugh again.

We'd gone out the window of the suite Edward and I had claimed. It was about the size of our first apartment we'd shared just before we'd bought the house in Forks. A small sitting area and two small bedrooms made up our home now. The fireplace was small and stone, and the sitting area had a sofa and chair, but it worked for us.

A low hum rumbled through the building, lights flickering here and there, and Angela and I beamed at one another.

"Sweet Lord, if they give me enough for a hot shower, I'd be a happy woman," she sang as we left the room and made our way downstairs.

Laughing, I nodded. "Or a bubble bath…"

"Don't tease," she growled dramatically as we stepped out onto the deck.

I laughed again but found myself wrapped in strong arms.

"Who's teasing?" Edward rumbled in my ear.

Grinning up at him, I raked my fingers through his much shorter hair. Carmen had been nice enough to give him and Freddie trims. "We heard the power surge a little. We were hoping for hot baths…even showers."

I should've kept my mouth shut, because the dark, dangerously sexy look that crossed his face was just deadly.

"Fuck me," he whispered as Angela walked toward the table where Rose, Alice, and Maggie were.

When I looked up at him, I smirked. "Now who's teasing?"

His crooked grin flashed, but his eyes were still dark. "I miss showers… I miss fucking you in the shower… Remember—"

I placed my fingers over his lips. "Not one more word, Edward Cullen. I can't take it."

"I found us more condoms," he whispered behind my fingers, pressing a kiss to them.

His eyebrows shot up as I registered this bit of information, and suddenly my body hummed at the mere thought. We'd finished the box he'd brought with him when he first arrived, and we'd taken other precautions, too, but the mere idea that we had more…

"Where? How? A lot?" I asked in a rushed whisper. "Does everyone know?"

"Souvenir shop had some…big box, behind the counter, Shortcake. And no…I'm not sure I feel like sharing this bit of intel." His arms wrapped around me, lifting me up as heat and want fell over me. "How about your period?" he asked.

"It's done. This morning, actually." I told him, which was a relief. Pads and tampons were harder to come by than food, really. Glancing around, I caught sight of Carmen with Felix and Charlotte with little Zoe, and suddenly, I had a question, one from our lives before all the viruses and fighting and separations. "What if… Edward, would it be _so bad_?"

The heat faded from his face, and he practically melted in my arms as he sat us down on one of the deck chairs. His eyes were so warm and sweet as he studied my face, and his hands changed from teasing to soothing, calming, and gentle as he hugged me closer at the same time he brushed the hair from my face.

"Um, it's certainly something to talk about, but… Are you serious, Bella? I'm willing to revisit this conversation, baby, but… It's different now."

"I know," I sighed deeply, nodding a little. "I know, baby, I just…" I shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know…maybe we shouldn't… I just…"

His lips met mine in a short but deep kiss. "Fuck, I'd be more than okay with it, but you have no idea… This conversation… Bella, I _needed _this conversation while we were apart. It was when we'd found Felix and Irina. I was…rocking him, and I was thinking how badly I just wanted to have _this conversation_ again, even if the outcome was no."

Smiling at him, I kissed him softly. "Well, then, we can talk about it, Edward." When he tilted his head at me, wearing the most adorably hopeful expression, I chuckled at him, but it ended quickly because reality hit me hard. "This is different, and while I completely trust your mom as my doctor, I know that things could go awry. I'm not safely tucked behind a desk this time, like with Freddie, and that scares me…for me and you. I know how you'll be, Edward. There aren't sonograms or prenatal vitamins or tests or any of that. We'd be blind from the get-go. This would be scary as hell."

He nodded, his face serious as he thought it over. "Um," he started, swallowing nervously. "Yeah, you're right. And I…" He sighed deeply. "I don't know, Bella. I'm not sure. If it was back in Forks, with me out of the service like we'd planned, I'd jump on you…not that I won't anyway, but still…" He grinned when I cracked up. "But…I can't chance losing you or causing us heartbreak should something go wrong. Am I wrong to want to play it safe for now?"

"No," I whispered against his lips. "Not wrong. Smart. I was thinking with my hormones, baby."

He chuckled but cupped my face. "This is no…for now?"

"For now," I agreed with him. "So…you best hide that stash of condoms," I purred against his lips.

"Yes, ma'am," he breathed back, but he pulled away when he heard Jasper yelling for him. "I'd better get back to work. We've got two more windmills to fix, and I want that shower, Shortcake."

"Me, too." I slipped off his lap, pulling him up by the hand.

His lips pressed to my forehead, whispering that he loved me.

**~oOo~**

"So if we focus the power on the main things we need, then the generators won't work so hard," Peter explained. "We can shut down the breakers for most of the lighting but leave the kitchen, which means the fridge. We reworked the water heater connection because that well is in perfect condition. I was afraid a walker would've fallen in, but we lucked out with how it's covered."

Plans and notes were spread from one end of the large coffee table in the lobby to the other. Most of us were lounging around the warm fire as Peter and Jasper went over different things with my dad.

I was sitting on the floor with Freddie and Irina as they showed little Felix how to build a tower with blocks, only to knock it over. Carmen was across from me, smiling at it all. We'd found a stash of toys in one of the cabinets in a room just off the lobby. There were cars, building blocks, board games, and a few dolls, all of which had been put to good use, along with all the games Marcus had given the kids. Sasha watched on in sweet earnest and with a tilted head, poking her nose in every once in a while to cause the blocks to tumble, which resulted in the most adorable giggles. I honestly didn't know what was cuter – her silly grin with her tongue hanging out the side, or Felix's happy squeal when she'd nuzzle him with a cold, wet nose.

A glance around the room showed the change in dynamics since we'd arrived. Tanya and Janie, who were both reading books from the shelves off in the corner, were the best of friends, since they were so close in age, though I was pretty sure Tanya was crushing on Quinn something fierce. Quinn, Lauren, and Seth had become pretty close, and I wasn't sure who would win the poor girl's heart, because both boys were damned smitten. Despite the loss of her sister, Lauren had adjusted, though Maggie watched over her like a mother hen. However, Quinn played it cooler than Seth, as he sat quietly picking at his guitar. Sue leaned against my dad's chair as she listened in on what they were discussing at the table, which made me smile, because my dad would occasionally reach up to hold her hand or whisper something to her.

There were a few on duty, though here we didn't necessarily have to go outside to keep watch. Rose and Emmett stood together at the back deck doors, their eyes sharp, but they talked quietly to each other. Rose would chuckle at something Emmett would say, and they'd continue to pace or keep watch. Randall was at the front doors, leaning against the right window, his eyes focused on the front lawn. Angela was doing the same at left-side window.

I didn't see Marcus or Garrett, but I'd be willing to bet they were having a chess match somewhere. My eyes finally fell to Charlotte, who was breast-feeding baby Zoe in the chair closest to the fireplace. A blanket covered her, not that anyone but Peter paid her much attention.

"Still the hormones, Shortcake?" I heard softly in my ear, and I grinned over my shoulder where Edward was sitting down in the chair behind me. When I just shook my head, he chuckled lightly, pressing a kiss to my neck, my cheek, and finally my lips. "Just checking. I wish it was…"

"I know," I sighed into his kiss, leaning back against the chair between his legs and laying my head on his knee.

His fingers immediately sank into my hair, pulling it from my face and tucking it behind my ear, chuckling when another tower of blocks collapsed due to Sasha's giant paw. Her soft "boof" at the giggling kids was just icing on the cake.

"You tell 'em, big girl," he praised her, laughing at his son's indignant glare.

It seemed the meeting at the table was not quite over, and I glanced over when a heated discussion broke out between Jasper and my dad.

"I'll go, Chief! Not you! I'll take two with me," Jasper argued, and I watched as Alice's head snapped up from the book she was reading like she was just hearing of it. "Just tell me where…"

"You just got back from a hunting trip, Jasper." Dad frowned when Jasper merely nodded, butthen he pointed to a map. "Here. It looks like two farms, side by side on the other side of the lake. I saw them today when we were fishing. It could mean more food, maybe some fuel, but that's the Port Angeles side of the lake, so I wouldn't hold my breath."

"I'll take Emmett and Seth," Jasper told him.

"I can go," Alice volunteered.

"Um, no." Jasper was almost harsh with his answer, shaking his head briefly before turning back to Dad. "We'll head out in the morning."

"Jasper," Esme said softly, pushing a piece of paper his way. "If I'm reading this map correctly, then there's a veterinary clinic over there. If you could check it for a few things for me, I'd appreciate it."

"Sure, Aunt Esme," Jasper replied, tucking the list into his pocket. When Alice got up from the table, he barely turned her direction before grabbing up his crossbow and slipping out onto the deck.

"Stubborn ass," Edward muttered under his breath, pursing his lips and shaking his head when I looked back at him. "He's pushing himself for some reason. He's taken every scouting trip and hunting trip since we got here."

My eyes watched Alice leave the lobby and trudge up the stairs. "Hmm," was all I said, but Edward snorted into a soft chuckle against my cheek. "I noticed he didn't ask for you."

"No, he didn't," he agreed, his kisses changing from light and sweet to a surreptitious flash of tongue, a scrape of teeth, and a deep, sexy hum right behind my ear. I pinched his thigh through his jeans, grinning at his, "Ow!"

"Behave, Mr. Cullen," I warned him, snickering at the happy, heated, yet loving gaze at me.

"I can't," he admitted, gripping my hair just a little, though no one was paying any attention. "Just knowing that the showers may be working tonight…" My gasp and wide eyes made him laugh. "Oh, yes…" he trailed off, kissing my lips.

"Dammit, Ed… Jasper's too far," Emmett alerted from the back door. "I can't see him."

"Fuck," Edward barely said aloud, but then he nodded. "I'll go catch him." He turned back to me. "As soon as Freddie's asleep…it's _so on_, Mrs. Cullen."

"Evil," I hissed, rolling my eyes and flicking his ear when he laughed into my neck. "Go…get away from me, Edward."

He tried to feign hurt, but he failed miserably and adorably, only to stand up, throwing a wink my way.

"Be careful."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll be right back."

**~oOo~**

**EDWARD**

I rubbed my earlobe to sooth the sting of Bella's thump, giving her a foul look, which caused her to merely laugh. I shook my head as I walked away from her toward the back deck doors, picking up my crossbow before giving Emmett a nod on my way outside as Sasha followed me. I took a deep breath of cool, crisp night air, letting it calm down parts of me I couldn't control today.

I wanted my wife. It was utterly ridiculous, but it was the truth all the same. Between settling us all in, Freddie needing her at night, and Bella's period, I was feeling like a damned horny teen. Finding that big-ass box of condoms was like finding the Holy Grail. I felt spoiled for her, but when the mention of showers – hot showers, at that – had finally become a possible reality, I couldn't help but hope. Something so simple, yet…not. There had been a time that showers were the only privacy Bella and I had had. We'd slip under the spray as Freddie still slept or watched TV or even ate his breakfast before school. It was silly, but it was a part of our past that I truly missed. I wanted it back.

My eyes adjusted to the moonlight, but I found my cousin in the shed that housed the solar generators. A dim beam from a flashlight flickered around inside, and I found him tinkering with the gauges, nodding to himself.

Shifting the crossbow to my back, I leaned against the doorway and folded my arms across my chest. "You shouldn't come out here alone, Jazz," I told him, smirking when he rolled his eyes my way. "I'm aware you can handle shit yourself, but still…"

"Your concern is heartwarming."

Snorting into a chuckle, I shook my head at his sarcasm. "Well, you're all delicate and shit."

"Mmm, right."

He continued to check the generator, only to leave the shed for the side door of the lodge that led down to the basement which held the water heater. I followed along to not only watch his back but to see what the fuck was bothering him so damn bad. I knew my cousin. I knew he was pushing himself, trying to punish himself for some reason.

"Should work," he muttered, checking them all over. "Like a fucking charm, actually." He smiled my way in pride. "Dude, hot water."

Grinning, I squeezed his shoulder. "You're a fucking hero among the women. You should know that now."

He barked a light laugh, but it died quickly. "That's me…a goddamn hero."

Frowning at that, I sighed. "C'mon. We'll walk the fences together and call it a night, yeah?"

He nodded, and we left the basement to start our trek around the fence-line. Jasper stayed quiet as we walked, which was pretty normal, but I knew something was bugging him.

"You don't have to take that run, Jasper," I started, looking out into the woods along the west side of the property. "Emmett and Rose could handle it…or Bella and me."

"Nah, man…I'm good. Aunt Esme needs all this medical shit. She's hoping for microscopes and medicines. I can handle it."

"Then take one more with you," I suggested. "Alice is quick on her feet and stronger than she looks."

"You would know," he mumbled, and I stopped, staring at him through narrowed eyes as I leaned against one of the brick posts.

"Spill it, J."

"Spill what?" he asked, starting to go on, but when I didn't budge, he faced me with anger. "_What_, Edward?!"

"What's up with you? You've been taking every hunt and every run. And now…this shit. What exactly would I know about Alice…other than the damn fact she's good on a scouting trip? What exactly are you too fucking chicken-shit to say to me?"

He glared at the ground, his nostrils flaring, but his hands balled up into fists at his side, and Sasha appeared from where she'd been snuffling in the grass to glare his way. "What happened on the way here, Ed?"

"I busted my ass to get here."

"No, with Alice…and you! What the fuck happened?"

"Not a goddamn thing, Jasper. What exactly are you accusing me of?"

"Bella waited for you! She…and…and Alice…"

My temper sparked hot and fast, and I was in his face. "Are you asking me if I cheated? On my _wife_, Jasper? Have you lost your fucking mind?! You damn well know how I feel about Bella. You've known me my whole damn life, cousin, so you wanna rethink that?"

He stood his ground, glaring me in the eye. "I…I've…heard things."

"I bet you did. I heard things, too, if you'll remember. Want me to question _you_ about my wife? If you'd been _anyone else_, I'd have…" My nostrils flared, my hands balling up at the truth of that. Jasper's only salvation with his feelings toward my wife while I was away was the fact that he was family, that he was blood, and that he'd kept that shit to himself.

"I know…and no!" Jasper flinched but shook his head. Groaning, he rubbed his face roughly with both hands. "No! Shit, Ed… My head's a fuckin' mess!"

I watched him carefully, finally seeing it, and when I backed off, Sasha sat down in the grass beside us. "You like her…"

Jasper rolled his eyes. "We're not in high school, asshole."

Laughing a little, I shrugged a shoulder. "You're acting like it. All jealous and shit. It's not about me with Alice. I shut that shit down. I was fucking pushing my group to get _here_…to Bella, to Freddie! Not fucking around on the damn side. And to me it looks like I've been replaced – thank God – but you were kind of an ass in there."

"She's too young, doesn't know what she wants," Jasper rambled, but I could see he was grasping at straws.

"She about punched the shit outta me for laughing at your broken nose, so I'm pretty sure she knows. Not that it's stopped you. You've already…"

He grimaced, doubling over with a groan, only to stay squatted down on the ground. "I fucked up."

I snorted. "Did you now?"

"I shouldn't have, but she wanted…" He sighed deeply, toying with an arrow. "I'm too fucking old for this relationship shit."

Smirking, I folded my arms across my chest again. "Well, that part's true, but…" Laughing when he flipped me off, I went on. "What exactly did you hear about Alice that has you this fucked up?"

"That she…felt something for you," he mumbled under his breath. "Shit, this still sounds like high school."

Grinning, I shook my head. "It does. Know why? 'Cause you're making a mountain out of a molehill. When I found Alice…when _my group_ found Alice…she was alone and scared and trapped in her bedroom. Her little sister and her mother had turned. She'd been stuck for almost two days. Rose and I almost didn't get to her in time, because a zeke – her own mother – had grabbed her before we could fucking blink. Rose just about cut every hair off her head to get the damn thing off her. All Alice wanted was to get off that farm. Whatever she felt along the way was bullshit caused by everything going on – something _you_ should understand. I didn't feed it, and I sure as fuck wouldn't have taken advantage of it."

"I know," he sighed deeply. "I know. I just…"

Huffing a deep breath through my nose, I debated on whether to call him out on this shit but decided that maybe he needed to hear it. "You know why you and Maria argued all the damn time?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow at him. "Do you?" I raked a hand through my hair, shaking my head. "Damn, you two drove me nuts. Hell, you were fighting the day I met Bella at Shelly's Bar."

He snorted into a laugh but finally stood up. "That was par for us."

"It was, because you dragged her along, Jasper. You'd say you were gonna be there, and then you'd call to brush her off. You'd push away and pull back in. It was…"

"Stop. I know."

"Well, it looks like you're doing it again. Alice is a good person, past misguided feelings aside. She's strong and smart. But guess what, Jasper… You can't just blow her off here. The world has shrunk down to what you see around you."

He gazed up at me. "I don't know what I'm doing."

"Jesus," I said, chuckling under my breath. "It's not hard, man. It's not. There's obviously something between you. Pursue it, or let it go."

I watched him sag in defeat. "You really didn't…" When I stepped closer in warning, he held up his hands. "Okay, okay…no. I get it. I…" He sighed, his head falling back.

"Stop listening to those gossiping women…and Emmett!" I snapped, pointing toward the lodge, which made him grin, and I knew I'd found my source of the rumor. "He's worse than an old woman, and he was probably trying to get a rise out of you, which he'll pay for when you take him on this run, I'm sure." I laughed, shaking my head at my cousin's evil, crooked smile. "Seriously, Jasper. You say it sounds like high school, but… Do you like her? If the answer is yes, then…what the fuck is the problem?"

He frowned. "It was always so easy for you, Edward. You liked a girl, and you just…went with it. You could handle it with no problems."

Laughing, I shrugged. "My parents aren't exactly a bad example, J. They've been together since they were in basic. And Bella…there was no stopping me. I knew it the second she set that first beer down in front me. I just…_knew_." Suddenly, the need to just wrap myself around my wife was almost breathtaking. She'd been it for me from the second I saw her step around the bar that night. The thought of being with someone else was disturbing to me, simply because she and I just…fit.

He smiled, nodding. "Yeah, true."

"If you don't take Alice on the run, take someone else. Rose, maybe. But you need the extra person," I told him, pointing a finger at him. "You wanted someone to team up with, so…here's your opportunity."

He nodded, and we started to walk again. The fences were clear, though I heard rustling in the woods outside the gate. Most likely, we'd have some zekes to clear out come morning, but for now, they were quiet and far enough away that we didn't need to worry. What would be interesting to know was how those dead bastards would react when it snowed. They were enhanced and feral at night, even more so in the rain, but none of us knew what to expect come the first snowfall. And that would be soon.

I stepped back into the lodge with Sasha at my heel, shaking my head at Emmett, but I stayed quiet. I had a feeling he'd get his once he left with Jasper on this next run. Waving good night to everyone, I made my way up to the room, separating from Jasper on the second floor. Bella had picked the suite on the third floor for us; it was one of two up there, with Carmen and the kids taking the other one at the other end of the hall.

The sound of laughter met my ears, and I leaned in the doorway of my son's room, smirking toward the bed at a game of checkers that was heated and down to the wire, it seemed.

"King me," Bella told him, and Freddie did so with a scowl on his face.

"You're in trouble now, buddy," I told him with a chuckle, and both looked my way, Bella with a grin and Freddie nodding slowly as he studied the board.

I knew better to even challenge the winner, simply because it wasn't my best game. I had no patience for it, nor could I map out strategy as well as my wife. Freddie, however, was just as good as she was, and he proved it by jumping three of her pieces and asking to be kinged as well. This was where he was more like Bella than me. His mind was sharp, his thought processes meticulous and precise, just like her. He may have gotten most of my features, not to mention my stubbornness and protectiveness, but his mind, his loving nature, and his quiet demeanor were all Bella.

It came down to just a few pieces left on the board before they called a draw with grins and a toss of checker pieces at one another, and I honestly couldn't love them more in that moment if I tried. It was a touch of old times, a bit of having to relive my trek across the country with Jasper and his asshat way of dealing with Alice, but for that one second, watching them laugh and tease, every fucking mile I'd traveled, every zeke I'd killed, and every sleepless night had been so very fucking worth it. For one moment, nothing had changed. Nothing existed outside that room – no virus, no impending snow, not even the struggle to keep food on the table.

Walking into his room as Bella put the board away on the nightstand, I kissed both their foreheads, lingering on Bella's longer just to inhale the warm scent of her skin. Her brow wrinkled, but she stayed quiet as I settled covers around my son.

"No one won!" he argued playfully with Bella but then turned to me. "But do you wanna play me?"

"Tomorrow, buddy. I promise," I vowed. "Although, I don't know why. You'll just kick my butt!"

He grinned and nodded, falling back to the pillow as Sasha curled up on the foot of his bed, which had become her favorite place to sleep. "Maybe."

Laughing softly, I pushed his familiar unruly hair from his forehead. "I love you, kiddo," I told him, looking to Bella. "Both of you."

"Love you, too, Dad," he said through a great big yawn.

"Love you, baby," Bella whispered against my cheek. "You okay?"

Nodding, I sighed. "Yup, just wanted you two to know."

"We know," Bella countered with a soft urge to her tone, and Freddie nodded in agreement.

"Good," I huffed, shaking my head and raking a hand through my hair. "All I wanted was this," I told them, gesturing between them. "That's what kept me going. I just… You two need to know that. Okay?" They both nodded, but I kissed Freddie's forehead again when he was overtaken by another deep yawn. "Get some sleep, buddy."

Bleary-eyed, he nodded as Bella gave him her own kisses, and we left the room. As soon as we were alone in our bedroom, Bella rounded on me.

"What's wrong, baby? Talk to me."

I shook my head, pulling her to me gently with a hand on the back of her neck. My mouth met hers hungrily, devouring her, and she let me. She was dark-eyed and breathing heavy when I finally pulled away.

"You…" I started, squeezing my eyes closed for a second to calm myself. "You know that…_nothing_ happened between me and Alice, right?"

"What?! Of course, I do. What's this…" She stopped, narrowing her eyes at me. "Jasper… I'm gonna…"

I grinned, chuckling a little. "He's just… I don't know what he is," I finally admitted. "Stubborn, for sure. Insecure, too. But dammit…"

"You'd think that Jasper being older and a blood relative would make him just as well-adjusted as you, but no."

Chuckling, I shrugged. "He says he's too old for this relationship shit, but…then he says Alice is too young to know what she wants."

Bella smirked. "They _will_ figure it out, Edward. I get the feeling Alice is strong enough to bop him in the head, if it comes down to it."

"Probably. She should do it soon," I grumped, rolling my eyes at Bella's beautiful laugh.

She studied my face, her dark eyes warm and loving. "I trust _you_. You know that, right?" Nodding, I felt myself relax beneath her soft touch to my face. "Good. And you trust me?"

"With my life."

She shrugged a shoulder, taking me by the hand. "Then anything outside of that is their problem, Edward. They're obviously attracted to one another, and Alice looks at him differently than she looked at you. She truly cares for him, so…they have to find their own way, baby. Not everyone understood us in the beginning. You being away on tour, the waiting, the letters and e-mails, but it worked for us. They have to find that, too."

"Or not."

"Or not," she agreed, shrugging again, but she pushed open the bathroom door. She turned around in front of me, reaching for the zipper of my hoodie and dragging it slowly down. "He accused you of cheating on me?" she asked softly, but I could see the hurt there.

"He heard rumors about Alice," I replied in a whisper, my face scowling at the mere thought. "Knowing Emmett, he was doing it to tease him, but I think it backfired."

Bella snorted, but there was no humor in it. She pushed my hoodie off at the same time she sighed deeply.

"He's an idiot." Her dark eyes met mine. "If you were cheating, then…_when_? Since you've been back, you've barely left our sides. And when you did, you were with _him_. I trust you when you say nothing happened on the way here, but your parents have already told me. Rose even told me that nothing happened. Hell, I didn't even ask, but they told me anyway. You know why he's taking it so damn seriously?" she asked, but she didn't give me a chance to answer. "Because he likes her, and she obviously likes him. The entire time I've known Jasper, he's never been jealous, but I don't think he's ever liked someone enough to _be_ jealous. He wasn't jealous when Maria finally threw in the towel on him and moved on. He wasn't even jealous when you and I were apart, Edward. He took my waiting for you in stride, which proves his feelings weren't real for me. So he's an idiot if he pushes her away. She may be younger than him, but maybe she'll keep him from growing into an old, crusty, cranky asshole. Though, I hope he pushes Emmett into the lake just for starting trouble."

Smirking at my angry, rambling, smart girl, I shrugged a shoulder, only to raise my arms when she tugged my T-shirt off over my head.

"You're pretty when you're pissed," I whispered against her lips.

Her beautiful face cracked a smile. "Yeah, well…so are you."

Chuckling, I rolled my eyes, but everything in me sparked when she reached for the shower knobs. Her eyes met mine when her hand tested the water.

"It's hot."

Two words never held so much fucking power. They caused a brief pause between us, but I reached for her almost roughly. My hand threaded into her hair, yanking just enough to cause the moan I lived to bring out of her, and I devoured that shit with my mouth on hers.

"I've wanted you all fucking day," I complained, pulling back and reaching for her shirt.

"What about…"

"Uh-uh," I chided, shaking my head. "Whatever the fuck we start in here, we're finishing in there." I jerked a thumb behind me, indicating the bedroom. Once she was bare and beautiful in front of me, I said, "Get in."

I shed the rest of my clothes, following right behind her, but I couldn't help the growl I let loose at the feel of the hot spray that hit my skin. Jesus, it had been well over half a year since I'd had a hot shower.

Bare, smooth, wet skin met mine, trapping my cock between us. I couldn't stop myself from reaching for her. We kissed like we'd never come up for air as the water cascaded over us. I drank the water from the soft skin of her neck, across her shoulders, and up behind her ear. Small fingers dug into my back, my hips, my ass, just to keep me close, but I had to stop her from reaching for me or I'd lose it before we even started. Soap was used, shampoo made us slick, but I couldn't get enough of smiles and hums of pleasure. After another never-ending kiss as we rinsed under the spray, I turned us around, pressing her into the cold tile of the standup shower, grinning when she hissed at the shock of it, but I was already on my knees in front of her.

"You'd better hold on to something, Shortcake," I warned her, not even bothering to wait before I lifted one of her legs to my shoulder. Her fingers threaded into my soaked hair and practically clawed at my shoulder to hold on, but I had a firm hand on her. I'd never let her fall. Not in a million fucking years.

Water and the pure flavor of her met my tongue as I licked her slowly, almost roughly. I'd never been so happy that her period was over. I lived to put my mouth on her pussy as I watched it cause her to shatter. It was addicting. It had been since the first time I'd ever tasted her at the cabin on Blackwood Lake. I loved that she used me to make it feel better, that she lost control of herself when her hips would roll to press herself against my face. I loved even more that my grip to her ass made her groan out my name through gritted teeth.

"Mmm, I love that," I grunted, my eyes locking with hers as I lightly raked my teeth over the sensitive skin, only to swirl my tongue around her clit. "Say my name like that again…"

Her whole body shivered when she came, my name hitting the now steamy air of the bathroom. Using fingers, I drew out that orgasm as long as I could…or at least until her legs just about gave out from underneath her. Holding her steady, I stood up in front of her, and she reached for me, pulling me in for a kiss.

"Now, Edward… More…"

I turned off the water, snatching up the closest towel to quickly dry us off, though it was a piss-poor job, I was pretty sure, since our hair was still drippy. I followed her into the bedroom, my eyes unable to stay off her ass, and when she paused in front of the bed, I reached out to touch.

"I want you…like this," I whispered against her shoulder, dragging my lips to her cheek when she glanced over her shoulder. Her smile was wicked and sexy, her eyes dark and heated as I squeezed, spread her open, and squeezed again. "Goddamn, I love your ass…"

Bella grinned but bent slowly in front of me, reaching for the condoms I'd left on the bed, and that was only one damn box. There was almost an entire case of the bastards, which I'd stashed away in one of the nightstand drawers. And yes, I was being selfish as hell with them. At the moment, I couldn't think beyond the beauty in front of me, much less about other people.

She handed me one, and I took it with one hand as the other trailed fingers down her spine. She braced onto the edge of the bed, and fuck, she looked amazing that way.

"All fucking day, Shortcake," I sighed in want and amazement as I rolled the condom on, simply because I hadn't thought I'd get what I'd wanted, but I was.

Our skin was still damp, our hair too, but I couldn't care less. Lining up with her entrance, I sank in slowly and as deep as I could, my eyes rolling back into my head at the exquisite feel of her surrounding me.

Bella gripped the covers of the bed when I pulled back and pushed back in. Her name fell out of my mouth repeatedly as I left biting kisses up her back to her shoulder as I started a deep, slow rhythm. Once I was bent over her, my forehead fell to the back of her head as one hand braced beside hers. The other hand cupped her breast, rolling and pinching the nipple that was peaked tightly.

"Fuck, nothing is as good as this, baby. Nothing," I whispered, my eyes closing at the burn in the pit of my stomach that was closing in too fast, too fierce. "Make yourself come, Bella. Do it. Come with me."

Bracing on one hand, she slipped the other down her front, finding the spot where she was sensitive and swollen. A hiss escaped me when I felt her touch where we were connected, and my thrusts became erratic and harder.

"There! God, Edward…there…"

Grinning into a nip to her skin, I grunted, doing exactly what she told me to do. I could feel it all barreling down on us. It was like a freight train, and her second climax hit her so hard she had to bury her face in the covers of the bed. My teeth bit down on her shoulder as I followed right behind her, her name and a string of curses pushing out against her skin.

I was still breathing heavily against her skin, but I wrapped an arm around her waist to keep us both from collapsing. With a grimace and a groan, I pulled out, discarding the condom in the garbage, but I guided her under the covers, where I followed her, only to pull her to my side.

"We should… My hair…" she mumbled weakly against the skin of my chest, but I chuckled breathlessly.

"Don't sweat it, Shortcake. We'll shower again in the morning…"

"Mmm," she hummed. "I've missed showers…especially with you."

I smiled, slipping down into the bed so we were face to face, and I pulled her body flush to mine, our legs tangling together. "Me, too," I admitted softly. "I've been thinking about it all day."

She giggled, pressing her lips to mine. "I see that."

I smiled at her, nuzzling her nose with mine. I watched her start to drift off, and the familiar feel of it all was comforting, something I never thought I'd feel again. We'd been living day to day, minute to minute for so long that a shudder ran through me as I calmed down, not only from my high of coming so damn hard but from the stressful things life had thrown our way. Things could change any second, so I was going to soak up what I could, when I could get it.

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… Not a lot of tears shed for Jacob. I've written character deaths before – a few deaths some of you still hold against me LOL – and I've put characters through hell and back, but usually I shed a tear while doing it. Not this time. Jacob wasn't a hero to me. He helped, yes, but he didn't truly give a damn, I don't think. And that could've been his drinking, or just Jake. However, I knew he'd be killed before this was all over. **

**It's going to be Thursday again for the next chapter. I apologize for switching it around so much, but I'm still dealing with settling into a new place and a completely different schedule. So until then… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	19. Chapter 18

**A/N… This might be a good time to put that seat belt back on. Maybe. **

**I won't keep you up here, so go on… ;)**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 18**

**BELLA**

_**Lake Crescent, Washington**_

_Seven months after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

Cold, fat raindrops splattered against the glass of the deck doors as I stoked the fire in the lobby. The sound of kid-chatter made me smile, even more with little Felix trying to add to the mix.

"Woof!" he piped up, squealing into giggles when Sasha walked beside him as he crawled across the floor. He gripped her fur in a tiny, chubby hand, and I was amazed at how she didn't even flinch as he used her to pull himself up into a wobbly standing position.

Walking back to Irina, I smiled as a game of Connect Four was underway between her and Freddie. I honestly thought they loved the game for the end, where they could drop all the pieces out of the bottom of the grid onto the table with a loud clatter.

It was my turn to sit with the kids. Most everyone else was defending the fences, simply because the cold rain was stirring up trouble with the dead outside. The occasional and somewhat distant pop of gunfire met my ears, but for the most part, they used knives or arrows to dispose of them. The theory was that they were still coming in droves from Seattle, that their food source was running low in the large city.

"Hold still, Irina," I chided gently, chuckling at her squirming. "You wanted braids…"

"I do, Miss Bella," she urged with a nod, which made me have to stop her head and start all over.

It was hilarious to watch her try to play the game while my hands were holding her head in place. I wasn't used to girls, but Irina was a doll. Freddie had been easier. He was like his dad – a wash-and-go type of kid. Irina liked to play hard like the boys, but occasionally, she'd pull the girly card and force dolls or ribbons or pink into it all, which drove my boy crazy. Freddie was usually pretty good-natured about it all.

Just as I secured the last pigtail with a rubber band, the sound of tumbling books met my ears, and a loud wail followed right after it. Sasha glanced up at me worriedly as Felix lay on his back.

"You're okay," I soothed him, picking the chunky little guy up. "Oh, my goodness…" I crooned and chuckled at the same time, because his frown was exaggerated, his tears big and fat. "You're all right, buddy. You just scared yourself."

"Uh-huh," he sniffled, borrowing into my neck as he gripped my shirt.

I hummed a light song as he settled down, pacing slowly back and forth in the windows as the rain soothed him. It was almost time for his nap anyway. I could understand how Edward had been protective of these little ones, especially with how he'd found them. He still was protective, but Edward was also a big kid at heart and loved to play with them right alongside his son, which he had done just that morning, with a big game of checkers like he'd promised Freddie the night before. And he'd lost horribly to Freddie.

Continuing to hum, I let my eyes drift to everyone working outside. The fences were just about clear, but there would be dead to burn once the rain stopped. We'd expected snow, but not quite yet, though Dad was pretty sure it would hit us by Thanksgiving, which was a little over a week away.

Shaking my head at just how much had changed since the previous holidays, I dropped kisses to Felix's head. The year before, we'd been working around Edward's schedule at the base, and we'd planned a big dinner for when he'd be home that afternoon. Jasper, my dad, Carlisle, Emmett, and Edward had all lounged around in front of the football game. Sue and Seth came by for dessert, and Freddie had fallen asleep sprawled across his dad. Once he'd awakened, the guys played football outside, and then we'd all decorated the Christmas tree. It had been a good day.

This year, Thanksgiving seemed to mean _more_. Instead of planning for parties and football games, we were all simply happy to be alive. Sue and Maggie were hoping for a plentiful hunt from Jasper and the team he'd taken across the lake to scout for not only food but for Esme's medical equipment, as well.

The thought made me smile into Felix's hair. They'd left that morning, and despite Jasper's confusion over Alice, despite how he'd fought with Edward over the rumors he'd heard, he'd left out of camp with Emmett, Seth, _and _Alice. He'd also stopped long enough to look me in the eye and apologize for accusations he knew better than to believe, which made me think that Alice had torn him up over it, which I thought she should have, considering that it wasn't just Edward's honor he'd questioned but hers, too.

She was a feisty one, for sure. And I hoped she stayed that way. As much as I adored Jasper like an older brother, he could be a stubborn thing. What I'd told Edward last night was true – Jasper had never had a reason to be jealous…until now, and that told me Jasper was feeling much more than attraction to Alice. He was a handsome thing, which I was convinced was a family trait, but he could use it to his advantage when he wanted to, and he rarely batted an eye when it came to women, past conquests. Now, it seemed things had changed for Jasper, and I hoped they were for the better.

A few people ran up the deck steps, shaking off the rain, and when they piled inside the lobby, I smiled up at Edward.

"Best spot on the planet," he whispered against my head after shrugging out of his soaked hoodie and hanging it up on the coatrack. He ran a gentle hand down Felix's back. "He's out like a light, Shortcake," he whispered through a soft chuckle.

"Yes, well, he's been a busy bee keeping poor Sasha on her toes this morning."

His grin was adorable, but it fell when he glanced over at Carmen. She looked roughed up, tired. There was a bruise forming on her temple.

"What happened?" I gasped, walking to her. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm…_fine_," she replied, sounding exasperated.

"A zeke pulled her in when she wasn't expecting it, and she hit her head on one of the iron rods of the fence."

She shook her head, waving it off, but she gazed at her son for a moment.

"Want him?" I asked, knowing that sometimes just holding Freddie made everything just tad bit better. I smiled when she took him, nuzzling a now sleeping Felix close and closing her eyes for a moment. "I…think…" She looked up at Edward and then to me. "I need to talk to you both."

Edward sat down on the edge of the sofa, and I guided her and Felix down next to him.

Tears welled up in her eyes. "I need… I need to know that if something happens to me, that my babies…"

"Hey," Edward chided, shaking his head, "it was just a simple mistake out there, Carmen."

She shook her head profusely the entire time he argued his point. "No, no…it's not that. It's just…with winter coming, and with how we're not sure how those things will react… Not to mention, _anything_ could happen at _any_ time, so I just… Edward, please… Bella," she begged, looking to me. "Promise me that you'll take care of them if something happens to me. Please."

Edward looked angry for a moment, and he stood up and started to pace, but he met my eyes, and I could see when he caved. There was warmth and sympathy; there was loyalty to her, as well, which was understandable considering how they'd fought their way here.

As a mother, I could completely understand where she was coming from. Tears blurred my vision at just how difficult it must have been to even approach this subject with us, not to mention how scared she had to have been to get to that point. But it made her a good mother, a smart one, because since the virus took hold, she'd been a single mom, with no family whatsoever to turn to.

When neither of us answered her, she started to ramble in a whisper so that her daughter couldn't overhear. "Edward, please listen… It's just…Irina and Felix, they love you both. And you're so good with them. Freddie is amazing. You're such good parents, and I just… I just want to make sure someone will be there for them if something happens to me."

Edward sat down next to me on the coffee table, facing her, but he still didn't speak for a moment. Finally, he sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his face as serious as I'd ever seen it.

"You know I would've done it without you asking, but Carmen, we'll do our best to keep everyone safe, no matter what," he reasoned, his brows wrinkling, but his eyes drifted to the sleeping little boy in her arms and then to the giggly little girl who was teasing our son.

"I know," she sighed, almost in relief. "I know you will, but things can happen…quickly. You know that, Edward. You know that from how you found us in Jackson Hole. The flu, a zeke…whatever. I'm not naïve enough to think all is well, just simply because we've found a safe haven. I need to know my babies won't be…alone. They've already lost their father to this whole thing, and I have no idea if my sister is out there somewhere, so I need you to promise me."

Edward's sweet, concerned green eyes locked on mine from over his shoulder. Silently, he was asking me my opinion, which made me smile his way and tease him.

"You've already said yes, baby," I told him with a chuckle, nudging his shoulder just a little, and his serious yet beautiful face broke out into a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Yeah, I guess I did, but…" He frowned, letting out a deep breath. "Are you okay with it, Shortcake?"

"Oh, yeah," I said, nodding his way and then to Carmen, "of course, but Edward's right – we'll do everything _not _to have to do it. Okay?"

She nodded, but she didn't argue that point, simply burying her nose in Felix's hair and whispering, "Thank you."

I stood up from the coffee table, saying, "Let me get you a cool cloth for that head."

Carmen smiled, nodding a little as she started to rock her son gently. I walked through the bar and into the kitchen. I turned on the faucet and was reaching for a clean cloth when strong arms wrapped around me from behind.

"Are you _sure_, Bella?" Edward asked softly into my hair.

I huffed a humorless laugh, wringing out the cloth and shutting off the water. I turned in his arms, leaning back against the counter, but my emotions spilled over.

"Can you imagine how hard that must've been for her?" I asked in reply, my voice squeaking and cracking a little in effort to keep it down, to keep my emotions from exploding. "Can you, Edward? Because I can. I can, because that same thought crossed my mind more times than I could count…when the hurricane hit, when I lost touch with you, when the virus started to spread, leaving Forks, losing family and friends…all of that made me question _everything_, baby. I was terrified of what would happen to _our own child_, so…if saying yes to her gives her peace of mind, then I'm absolutely sure."

Edward's sweet smile spread across his face, but it was warm, sympathetic, and so full of love that I could practically feel it step into that kitchen with us. "Shh, Shortcake," he whispered against my forehead, only to pull back and wipe away my tears. "I think that's why I said yes so quickly, baby. I didn't mean for this to happen…" He smiled again as he tried to capture my tears. "Don't cry, Bella." He set his forehead gently to mine. "I _know_ how hard it was for you, so maybe that's why I did it. And I also know that Irina and Felix almost lost their mother when I found them, so…maybe it was something I'd already considered. At the time, all I could think was how innocent they were in it all, and I'd have probably left the decision up to my parents, but Carmen pulled through. Now that we're here, I have no problem saying yes…if only because I know we'd care for them just as much as we do Freddie."

I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. I nodded when I grasped either side of his face. "Shit," I sniffled. "We already do."

He chuckled. "True. And I think she knows that, or she wouldn't have come to us specifically." He paused for a moment, the smile slipping off his handsome face. "Who? Who'd you…"

Shaking my head, I sighed, looking up at him. "Before you got to us?" I asked, and he nodded. "My dad, and if not him…I don't know. Angela, maybe. She's been…amazing."

"She has," he agreed easily. "And now? If something happens to us?"

"Now…both. Your parents and my dad." I shrugged, knowing that was an easy decision.

"Yeah, I think so, too, and I doubt we'd have to ask…"

Grinning a little, I nodded, finally kissing him softly just for being Edward, for being the gentle, good man that he was. "That's true." I took a second to get myself together and then smiled up at him, holding up the damp cloth. "Let me take this back to her."

"You okay?" he asked, linking our fingers together to keep me from leaving just yet. When I nodded, he smiled. "I meant what I told her, that I'd do my best, that we'd _all_ do our best to not let it come to that."

Studying his face, I smiled up at him. "I know you did, Edward. And it's the right thing to do."

He kissed my lips once more before letting me go.

**~oOo~**

"Well? Any sign, kiddo?" Dad asked me as I lifted the binoculars to my eyes to gaze across the large lake.

"No, not yet," I sighed, looking over at him. "Maybe the rain we had yesterday held them up…"

"Or brought them trouble," he countered, but Edward was already shaking his head.

"They can handle it," he told my dad firmly. "Jasper took a strong group."

Dad nodded, turning his back on the lake and leaning against the fence as he ran a hand over Sasha's head absentmindedly. "He did, but they've been gone for what seems like too long."

Edward nodded, holding out his hand for the binoculars, and I gave them over. He spoke as he looked through them. "I'd say give them a bit more time. They had a really long list, mostly my mother's doing, and they were aiming for the road that led to Port Angeles. It's quite possible they decided to scout closer to it, which would be Emmett. He's been…worried about his family, though…I don't know what he's hoping to find."

"He won't find much," Dad said, grimacing a little. "Maggie came from there, said most of the city was on fire when she and Liam pulled out of there."

"Damn," Edward sighed, shaking his head as he looked over at my dad. "Well, I still say give them a bit longer, if not another day. But they've got plenty of daylight today."

"All right," Dad agreed, but I could see that he was worried. "At least they have good weather."

Glancing around, I nodded. The rain the night before had cleared up some time during the night, leaving us with a cold, clear day. The sky was a cloudless bright-blue, reflecting in the lake, and the wind was minimal but crisp, except for the smell of the zeke bonfire that Randall was manning off in the corner of the property. They'd cleared the fences last night but left the bodies for today. Cleanup was just about finished.

I lifted the binoculars again, scanning the other side of the lake. Jasper had taken the small metal boat, heading in a northwestern direction to the opposite corner, so I looked a little more west but saw no movement. There were farms across the way and small cabins, too. I kept looking but drifted along the shore in an easterly direction, thinking maybe they'd taken to foot once across the water. It was just along the curve of the lake that I caught sight of movement.

I nudged my husband and put the binoculars in his hand. "Look. Um, about… two o'clock, I'd guess. Is that them? Or someone else? 'Cause that's not the same boat."

Edward looked, and my dad turned around to wait for an answer, but Edward sighed. "I can't tell just yet… It's a bigger damn boat, that's for sure." He stayed quiet as he kept watching, and then a laugh barked out of him. "Oh, yeah, that's them. Emmett just went ass over elbows into the water."

Grinning, I stole the binoculars back. "Shut up! Really?"

It was like watching an old silent movie. The large white boat had come to a stop right in the middle of the lake, and I could see Emmett's head bobbing up and down just above the surface of the water. He was laughing, at least, but he pointed a finger to Jasper, who seemed to be yelling down at him and threatening Emmett with his own sword. But it was Alice and Seth who made me chuckle. Both were practically doubled over in laughter.

"Well, they're all alive and accounted for… That is if Jasper lets Emmett back in the boat."

"Oh, hell… Let me see," Dad said with a groan and a chuckle.

I handed him the binoculars, but Sasha and I followed Edward out through the small gate in the fence that led down to the dock.

"Serves Emmett right…starting shit," Edward muttered, readying the dock for the bigger boat that was now growing closer. "I left his punishment up to Jasper."

Giggling, I shook my head at Edward's shameless crooked smile my way. "He's gonna be _cold_," I sang with a grin.

"He's gonna be even colder when he's sleeping in another damn room," I heard behind us, and I spun to smile at Rose, who was rolling her eyes at Edward's laughter. "Idiot. I told him to leave shit alone about you and Alice, but he wanted to razz Jasper. There's a time and place for that shit, but he didn't listen. Just tell me you two – and you and your cousin – are okay, Edward."

Edward snorted, waving it off. "My cousin and I have argued like brothers my whole life, Rose. Don't you worry about that. We state our case – sometimes, very loudly…or with fists – and we move on."

"And you two?" she asked me.

"Yeah, no… We're fine," I said firmly but with a smile.

"Good." She nodded once but glanced back when a few more people started to join us as the boat's engine could now be heard.

Rose, Edward, and I cleared the dock of another small metal boat, dragging it up to the bank. By the time we were finished, Jasper was slowing down. Emmett was a shivering, wet rat on the bow, which caused me to laugh.

"Em, your lips are blue," I called out, but he grinned, the silly thing. "It's a good look for you."

"Ya think so, Shorty?"

"Mmhm," I hummed with a nod, taking the line he threw my way, and Edward took the other one that Jasper was tossing him.

"You decided to upgrade the boat?" Edward asked, smirking at his cousin.

"Yeah, well… Farm Girl over there decided we needed to _save the animals_," he drawled sarcastically, but Alice merely grinned.

"Shut up!" she snapped, reaching down, only to come up with a cage.

"Oh hell…" Edward breathed, his eyes wide.

"Oh, yeah," she told him, pointing behind her.

There were at least ten to twelve cages with chickens in them…and one with a rather disgruntled-looking rooster. I was guessing he didn't like his little harem being uprooted from their home.

"And these," she added, handing another box over the side to me.

I peeked inside, smiling at what was peering up at me. Rabbits. "Guess we need to build some cages."

"It's two of the easiest farm animals to raise," Alice explained. "And chickens…that's meat _and _eggs."

"Excellent… All we need is a pig and a cow, and we've got breakfast," Edward teased her, but she merely shoved a cage at him.

"How 'bout goats?" Seth called out, leading two to the side of the boat. "Now you know why we had to upgrade the boat."

Edward chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. "Fair enough, kid."

Jasper landed heavily onto the dock. "This bastard's full. We kinda fell into a lucky streak. There was a farm that was pretty secure. The house was riddled with walkers, but the barn and the barnyard were practically untouched. The animals were hidden away. These guys, anyway," he said, gesturing to the cages. "There were pigs and cows and horses, too, but they'd been killed. We'd have been back sooner, but the rain yesterday trapped us in a bait shop for like eight hours." His eyes drifted around the property. "Though, it looks like you guys had a bit of trouble."

"Nothin' we couldn't handle," Edward assured him and then shot a sharp whistle over his shoulder. "Everyone pitch in to unload!"

Randall, Maggie, Peter, Angela, Tanya, and Freddie headed down to the dock, the latter two at an excited run with Janie on their tail. Supplies were handed over the side by Emmett and Seth, and they were all carried up to the deck for the moment. There were boxes of canned goods, some dry goods, and even a few cans of fuel. Some sacks of feed for the chickens and rabbits managed to survive the zekes, as well. The goats bleated in protest when they were picked up and handed over, and Sasha eyeballed them for a second, finally giving her approving, "Boof!" Both goats jumped, but Alice soothed them, leading them up the dock and into the fenced area, letting them loose. They could feed on grasses and flowers for however long they wished.

"Anyway," Jasper sighed, looking to Edward. "We made our way around the east side of the lake," he continued, pointing to the opposite shore. "We found an old-as-hell pickup that had a bit of gas left in it, and we used it to lug all this shit around. We kept checking these lake houses until we found this boat tied up on a dock."

"What about my mom's stuff?" Edward asked, glancing over his shoulder for a second for his parents, who were making their way down.

"Got it. All of it. And then some," Jasper stated with a nod. "She can probably find a cure for cancer with what I brought her."

"It's not cancer that's the issue," Esme piped up, giving Jasper a kiss on the cheek and ruffling his hair in such a motherly gesture that he blushed. "But I appreciate it all the same. Thank you, sweetheart. And I'm glad you guys made it back safely."

"Yes, ma'am." His voice was soft, almost embarrassed, but he smiled her way. "I'm afraid all I was able to get for you was stuff from that vet clinic you told me about."

"Which is perfectly fine, son," she soothed him. "It's all the same stuff – the syringes, the antibiotics, the equipment. So it doesn't matter. I'm still grateful." She turned to Edward. "What I'll need next…is a specimen."

"A wha – a specimen of _what_ exactly?" Edward asked her his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. "Tell me you don't mean a living zeke."

"I do."

Edward's head fell back with a groan as he scrubbed his face, only to grip his hair in his hands. "You coulda said somethin' sooner, Ma! We just burned about seventy-five of the damn things. Now I have hunt one down for you?"

She laughed, patting the side of his face and shooting a wink my way. "Well, I didn't know if this run would be successful. Now we know it is. And now I need a specimen."

Edward's eyes narrowed on his mother. "Fine, but you'll need to give me a day or two."

"Okay," she sang, kissing his cheek, too. "Just let me know…"

He turned to face me, his expression dead-panned, and I laughed at him. "Laugh it up, Shortcake. You're probably comin' with me."

Giggling, I stood up on my tip-toes to kiss his slightly pouty lips. "Sure, baby. Tell me when."

**~oOo~**

**EDWARD**

"How do you want to do this, Edward?" Bella asked as she straddled the four-wheeler, leaving enough room for me to sit in front of her.

I lifted Freddie into the attached trailer, and Sasha hopped in next to him, settling herself between him and Quinn. It was Quinn's first scouting trip since his gunshot wound. His leg was pretty much healed, but it occasionally gave him trouble. This trip would be a day, at most, if not just a few hours. All three were waiting for my answer.

Running a hand through my hair, I thought for a moment as I cracked my knuckles. "Mom needs something alive, but she didn't say it needed to be…functional."

Quinn laughed. "Off with his head!" he yelled in a false British accent. "Seriously?"

"Maybe," I said with a chuckle. "What makes them dangerous? Their teeth and hands, right?" I asked but turned to Bella. "So…we remove the trouble – the arms and bottom jaw."

"Eew," she groaned but nodded. Her beautiful eyes gazed up at the gray clouds above us. "Well, if we're doing this…"

Nodding, I looked to the boys in the trailer. "We're not going far, just to some cabins nearby. And this isn't really a scouting trip…but if you spot supplies we may need, then let me know."

"Okay, Dad," Freddie said, running his fingers through Sasha's fur.

When Quinn agreed with a nod, I straddled the seat in front of Bella. Her body melted to my back, and I smiled back at her, receiving a kiss to my cheek.

"Where are we putting this thing once we find it?"

I pointed to the rack on the front of the four-wheeler. "We'll strap it down like a deer."

"Oh hell… Just go, Edward," she sighed, and I chuckled at her adorable disgusted expression.

"Blame Mom, Shortcake. Not me. She could've had her pick of zekes the other day, but _no_."

We pulled out of the gate, but Jasper stopped us. "You guys take it easy. No big deal if you don't find anything today. Okay?"

I nodded, giving him a fist bump before leaving the grounds. I made sure the gate was closed and locked before pulling away. It was better that we were taking the four-wheeler. The small, narrow side road that led to the lake houses was a mess. Cars, trucks, and zekes we'd already taken care of were everywhere, causing me to drive on the roadside to get around it all.

The next three houses were empty. I already knew that much. In fact, the three on the opposite side of the lodge were cleared out as well. We'd raided them for blankets and food, clearing out the zekes as we went. So my goal was to start at the fourth house, but it was at least two miles from the last cabin, which was why it remained untouched by us. It wasn't close enough to be a problem. And this was the first time that I was hoping we'd actually find a zeke when we got there.

I wanted this trip quick and over with as soon as possible. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving, and I was looking forward to it. It would be a big day, a day where everyone could just relax. It had been a few days since Jasper had brought back all his supplies, and the chickens had already proven themselves useful. Fresh eggs were just about the best damn thing the camp had tasted in a long time, not to mention all the things Sue could use them for, but she was also planning on roasting a couple of the hens. It was going to be a big meal and a true testament to what Thanksgiving really was, which had nothing to do with Pilgrims and Indians anymore.

Slowing the four-wheeler down as we neared the fourth cabin, I sniffed the air, but it was Sasha who gave me my answer.

"Boof," she huffed from behind me.

"Yeah, I thought so, too, big girl," I muttered, stopping at the end of a dirt driveway, and I felt Bella's smile into the back of my neck.

The house was fairly big, with two stories and a rather large shed in the back. It was a lot of ground to cover, but truly, we were in no hurry. We weren't that far from the lodge, and we had plenty of daylight to get it done.

Shutting off the engine, I said, "No splitting up. We'll just work through it all together. Okay?"

"Sure, baby," Bella agreed softly, using my shoulders to get off the four-wheeler. Once she was on solid ground, she gazed around the place. "There's a car in the back. I see the bumper from here."

"Which means someone's home," Quinn stated with a grimace, pulling out his machete.

I turned to my son, smiling down at him as he readied his rifle. "Freddie, c'mere," I called him, taking a knee. "You okay to do this?"

"Yeah, Dad," he answered quickly. "We only need one, right?"

"That's right. And since we don't know what's inside, I need you to stick close to me. Aim for the knees, buddy. Okay?" I asked him, smiling and squeezing his shoulder when he nodded. "Good. Keep your distance."

"Got it."

"Good boy," I praised him, standing up to face the house.

The house was eerie, but that might have been because the weather was growing uglier. It also might have been because it was in a little disrepair – peeling paint, missing shingles on the roof, and a cracked window pane or two.

"Watch your steps in here," I told them when the porch steps creaked under my weight. I reached for the door, trying to peer inside through the thin curtain, but I could see no movement. I raised a fist, pounded on the window, and waited, but after several seconds, there was still nothing moving on the other side. "That doesn't mean anything," I murmured, opening the door. "We'll clear downstairs first, then the second floor."

Quinn nodded, stepping past me toward the left, and Freddie followed to the right. Bella eyed the kitchen straight ahead. Sasha, however, was tense, with sharp eyes and a lowered head, but she stuck to Bella like glue as she stepped into the kitchen.

I heard Quinn call clear, but he'd only had a small sitting room and a bathroom to check. I took a hallway, noting that most of the doors were open, except for the one that led out to the backyard and one that was most likely the basement.

Pressing my ear to the door, I listened closely but also kept an ear out for Bella, who hadn't said anything yet. When she appeared at the end of the hallway, she shook her head, but Sasha left her side, stepping closer to me and Freddie. Her deep, smart amber eyes were locked on to the door, only to flicker up to me.

Freddie listened to the door, suddenly stepping back. "I hear something in there."

"Okay," I sighed, pulling my .45 out. I had to rethink how to do this. My initial reaction was to aim for the head, but I couldn't do that in this case.

"Edward," Bella called softly, and when I snapped my gaze from the door to her worried face, she pointed to Quinn, who was starting up the stairs but had stopped about halfway to wait for us. "Quinn heard movement upstairs. Maybe we should clear that first. We know that one isn't going anywhere."

Glancing to Freddie, who was wide-eyed but calm, and then to the door, I nodded. "Yeah, maybe you're right, Shortcake." When we walked through the kitchen to the stairs, I asked, "Anything we can use in the kitchen?"

"Yeah, some canned stuff. We'll pack it up before we leave."

I stopped, shaking my head. "Actually…" I trailed off, turning to Freddie. "Son, pack up what you can find in those cabinets, buddy. Keep Sasha with you."

"Okay, Dad," he said, and I smirked over at Bella, simply because he was so damn eager to be a help. And in all honesty, he didn't care _how_ he could help. Fishing, hunting, fighting…it didn't matter.

"Here, baby," Bella said, taking the bag she'd brought with her off her shoulder. "Don't go crazy, Freddie. Just take what we need. And stay inside. Just set it by the door."

"Okay, Mom." He took it with a serious expression on his face, calling Sasha to go with him, and she obeyed him instantly, staying right by his side.

We got to the stairs, only to meet Quinn's amused face. "He's really like your mini-me. Isn't he? All serious and shit. Does he get all cranky when stuff goes wrong?"

"Shut up," I said with a laugh, shoving him up the stairs.

Bella chuckled. "Actually, yeah…a little, but he gets that from _both_ of us."

Grinning in pride, I looked to Quinn, who rolled his eyes at us. "And there you have it, smartass. Now…get your ass up there. Take the left, and I'll take the right. Bella, stay in the middle at the stairs and watch our backs."

Bella smirked at the laughter but nodded. "Yup, got it."

Before I stepped away from her, I whispered, "And keep an ear out for Sasha down there. Hmm?"

She winked but nodded. She knew Quinn and I could handle this shit upstairs but that Sasha would alert us to something down below. And it would be easier for her to get to him than me, simply because she'd be closer…and quicker.

The second floor wasn't all that big. Quinn checked to the left but only found a linen closet and a bathroom. To the right, there were a few bedrooms, but I knew we'd found trouble when thumps met my ears, not to mention shadows shifting back and forth at the bottom of the door. Looking to Quinn, who'd joined me, I nodded once at him.

I kicked open the door, which pushed the zekes back. Two of the bastards came at us, and Quinn and I took them both down, but only at the knees. From the look of them, they'd been an older couple. And fuck me, the stench! The room looked like they'd been trapped in there for some time, and I scowled at the two of them writhing on the floor.

"Don't end them just yet. We may need to…"

My heart sank and chills broke out all over me at the sound of not only Sasha's loud, deep snarl but my son's scream of terror. "Sasha, _no_!"

"Jesus," Quinn hissed, and we both turned tail and bolted down the stairs right behind Bella.

We landed heavily onto the first floor, and Sasha's growl ended with a howl of pain.

"Fuck! Freddie?" I called, hurrying into the kitchen when Bella's gunfire resounded around us.

The hallway door that we'd left alone was open, looking rotten and shattered, a trail of blood leading all the way across the kitchen floor. The zeke had somehow managed to get out, but Sasha had placed herself between it and my son.

Bella and I practically fell on Freddie, pulling him up off the floor. I cradled him, but he fought me.

"Dad, stop!" he sobbed, pointing to the floor. "Sasha! Daddy, please! It…it…bit her!"

Bella and I locked gazes as Quinn dragged the zeke out of the way and off the dog.

"Here, baby," Bella said, taking Freddie from me, and I knew she'd check every damn inch of him before she'd take another breath. "Did it get you? Bite you?"

"No, Mom," he sniffled, shaking his head and fighting her, even though she'd set him down on the counter. "Daddy's gotta help her!"

I landed on my knees next to Sasha, who was still on her side. Her whimper was soft, her eyes wide as she panted.

"Aw, big girl…" I groaned, shaking my head and gripping my hair. "What'd you do?" I asked her softly. It had been her blood that I'd seen trailing across the floor. There was a bite in her muscular shoulder, a tear in her skin.

I looked up at Quinn. "Get me something to stop the blood. Towel, shirt, anything!"

Quinn darted up the stairs, only to come right back with two towels. He pressed a folded one onto the wound, taking the other one to tie it tight around her.

"She should've died…or turned by now," he whispered to me. His face was pale, filling with fear.

"I know," I muttered back, glancing up at my wife and son. "He okay?" I asked, even though I knew she'd have said something, but I was fucking sick at the whole situation.

"Yeah, not a scratch on him, except his hands where he fell," she answered, but he was still a crying mess over Sasha, gripping at his mother.

Looking to Quinn, I said, "Help me get her in the trailer. We'll haul ass back to the lodge, but then I want you to bring Jasper back here for those two upstairs. This shit comes first. Am I clear?"

"Yeah, definitely," he agreed, standing up. "But Edward…"

I stood up, but my eyes drifted to my son's heartbreak. "I have to fucking _try_, Quinn!" I hissed his way.

"Okay."

We both bent down, picking her up gently, and we both apologized to her when she whimpered in pain again.

"I'll get the door," Bella said, but our son was wrapped around her. My Shortcake may have been petite, but she carried the strength of ten men when it came to Freddie.

"I'll drive," Quinn offered. "She'd probably rather have you hold her, Edward."

Nodding, I crawled in next to Sasha, who, despite the pain, shifted to put her head on my thigh. I locked gazes with Bella when she got in across from me with our son in her lap. It was a tight fit, but it didn't matter. We weren't going that far.

I had to give Quinn credit. He handled the four-wheeler like a damn pro, going as fast as he could without hitting too many bumps. He opened it up after we passed by a car or two, and when he pulled into the lodge's driveway, he gave a sharp, piercing whistle.

"Holy hell." Jasper ran up, opening the gate. "What the hell happened?"

I shook my head as Quinn flew through the open gate, almost running into the front steps of the lodge. I heard him start to explain to Jasper what had happened.

"Dad!" I called, hopping out of the trailer, and gathering Sasha up into my arms. She howled a little at being moved, and I looked down at her. "Sorry, big girl. Hang in there."

The front doors were slammed open by Angela, and I pushed by her, only to hurry down the hallway that led to the first-aid room. "Dad! Mom!"

Both my parents stepped out through the doorway and immediately went into emergency mode.

"Set her down, son," Dad stated calmly. "What happened?"

I laid Sasha down as gently as I could, soothing her with my hand. "She…" I swallowed thickly as he removed the towels. "She saved Freddie's life. She…put herself between him and a zeke…but…it got at her."

"Freddie's okay?" Mom asked.

"Not a fucking scratch, except his hands where he fell down. She took it all."

The two of them assessed Sasha, talking softly to each other.

"It's not deep. We'll clean it."

"No major arteries were severed. Some muscle tissue damage."

"We'll have to numb the area…"

"I'll get the suture kit ready, but…"

They locked eyes, only to turn to me.

"Edward, how long ago did she get bitten?"

"Several minutes," I told them, making sure Freddie wasn't in the doorway when I elaborated. "She… It should have killed her…or turned her by now."

My dad shook his head as my mother closed the clinic door. "Well, it didn't. So we'll do the best we can to get her stitched up." He looked to my mother. "We may have found your starting point. Canine immunity systems are different than human. She's not even sick, Esme. And it's been much longer than it would take to turn her. Humans are turning in less than thirty seconds."

She narrowed her eyes at Sasha but nodded. "First things first…let's clean her up."

"She'll be okay?" I asked, suddenly feeling Freddie's age. It had been a long fucking time since I'd found Sasha on the Army base in Florida. Not only had I grown attached to her, but now…she'd become an important member of my family. She was tough as nails, smart as hell, sweet, and gentle all at the same time.

"Edward," Dad said softly, placing a hand on my shoulder. "If she hasn't turned by now, she should be okay. We're stitching her up, and we'll give her antibiotics to keep down infections, but the wound isn't all that bad, son." He grabbed my face when I looked down at the dog who had saved more lives than she probably knew. "Edward, listen to me. Think, son. Have you – in all our time on the road – seen a _turned_ animal?"

Frowning, I froze for a moment, trying to remember, but finally shook my head.

"Exactly. It's something your mother and I have considered in our theories. Animals have _died_, yes, but they died due to their wounds, not due to the virus. If that were the case, then the birds would be all sick. They're not."

Sasha whimpered, and I walked to her, running a soothing hand over her head. "Easy, big girl. Let them fix you up, okay?"

"Edward," Mom said, tying a stitch and starting the next one. When she met my gaze, she said, "She'll be fine, sport. Just sore. Okay? You might want to go tell Freddie that. He's a mess in the hall."

Taking a deep breath and letting it out, I nodded. I opened the clinic door to see my wife almost at her wit's end with our son.

"Daddy!" he sobbed.

"C'mere," I sighed, taking him out of my wife's arms, only to drop a kiss to her forehead. I walked us down to the lobby, sitting down on the sofa, but I kept Freddie on my lap. "Sasha's gonna be fine," I told them but held my son's face in my hands. His tears broke my heart, but I understood them completely. "What happened, buddy?"

He sniffled, and I wiped his tears away.

"I was… I did like you said! I was packing up the cans in the bag. I heard you guys shoot upstairs, but…but…" He took another deep breath, and it hitched a little, but he went on. "Sasha started growlin', and there was a bang, but I thought it was you guys! I didn't know, Dad…"

"It's okay, baby," Bella soothed, running her fingers through his hair. "You didn't do anything wrong. The door broke open, Freddie."

"She's right, pal."

"Sasha…she jumped at it. She…" He dissolved into tears again. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean for her to do it!"

"I know, Freddie, but you didn't do anything wrong, and Sasha was just trying to protect you," I sighed, hugging him to me. I pressed kisses to his head as he curled into me. Turning to Bella, I spoke softly. "She didn't turn. And they're stitching her up. She should be fine, but…"

"She's…immune?" Bella asked, narrowing her eyes.

"It would seem so," I answered her. "It looks like Mom has a starting point for her tests."

Angela appeared in front of us, her face sympathetic, but she smiled softly. "Quinn and Jasper left again – they wanted me to tell you – and they took Randall with them."

"Thank you," I whispered with a nod before turning to Bella. "When they're done with Sasha, we'll need to know where Mom wants that damn zeke. I have no idea how she's gonna work on it."

Angela snorted. "I'll find out. You guys just…" She waved a hand to Freddie. "Stay with him. We can handle it."

I hugged my son closer, only to wrap an arm around Bella. "Jesus, I owe that dog _everything_."

"Me, too," Bella said, a bit of emotion in her voice, but when she looked up at me, she smiled into my kiss to her lips. "And soon…if your mom is right…the whole world may owe her."

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… Everyone let out a deep breath. Sasha will be fine! I thought my pre-readers would kill me dead over this chapter. Jenny, too. LOL BUT…I needed this chapter for many reasons – mainly for Carlisle and Esme.**

**Okay, so the next chapter will be Sunday, but I'll be taking the week of Christmas off from posting. I'll be back on the 28****th****, but I'll remind you again later. :) See you Sunday… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	20. Chapter 19

**A/N… Okay, so this will be the only update this week. I just wanted to remind you that RMF will be back next Sunday. I'm taking the week off for Christmas. I need a chance to not only catch up, but take a bit of a breather.**

**Now…those of you that are Team Sasha… I'll say this again. She's FINE. LOL But I'll let you get to it… **

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 19**

**BELLA**

_**Lake Crescent, Washington**_

_Seven months and one week after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

Sasha's disgruntled groan and heavy sigh met my ears, and I chuckled her way.

"Be grateful, pretty girl. They could put the cone back on your neck," I told her, kneeling next to her as she stared longingly out through the deck doors at Edward and Freddie playing in the snow that had fallen the day before. "Soon, Sasha. You can go play with them soon enough."

She lifted her head up at me, her pant making her look humorous with her doggie-grin and tongue hanging out sideways. She became still when I checked her shoulder. The fur was shaved down in a large area, and there were jagged lines across her skin with more stitches than I was willing to count. She'd scar most likely, but it was a small price to pay, and luckily, she'd avoided any infections – from the wound or the virus. She'd be just fine, something that made all of us very grateful – especially my husband and son. Both had been heartbroken at the sight of her injured and hurting.

Edward hadn't been exaggerating when he said he owed that dog everything. He did. _We_ _all did_. Sasha had kept Edward safe his whole journey across the country, only to do the same to Freddie and me when she arrived at Blackwood Lake with him. And she'd taken the worst hit imaginable by placing herself in harm's way in place of my son. She'd saved Freddie's life. The simple excursion, something deemed less dangerous than anything we'd done since the beginning, went terribly wrong…and very quickly. It was exactly what Carmen had talked about when she asked us to take care of her children. Anything could happen at any time, and I wasn't sure I had words for the beautiful, brave dog in front of me.

It was fitting that today was Thanksgiving.

"Here, big girl," I whispered, placing a bowl down in front of her. "I think you've earned this." I ruffled the top of her head as she greedily ate the food I'd given her. It was venison and some eggs mixed in with the dog food that Jasper had procured at the vet clinic.

Sue, Maggie, and I had made a huge meal, and everyone was in various stages of play, sleep, or just plain laziness. It had been a good day, and by nightfall, the kids would be really excited with the surprise that Jasper, Randall, and my dad were planning for them. Currently, they were off on a secret Christmas tree search.

"How is she?" Esme asked from behind me.

"Bored," I said with a laugh, pointing toward Edward and Freddie, who had started a snowball fight outside. "She feels left out, I think."

Esme grinned. "She'll be able to join them in a few days. Right now, she'd rip those stitches."

"How's the research coming?" I asked her.

"I was just about to grab a sample. Come with me, and I'll tell you," she said, opening the deck doors.

Nodding, I sighed deeply and reached for my coat that I'd set by Sasha. Pulling it on, I stepped outside to follow her.

"Mom! Grandma!" Freddie screamed in terror, yet laughing hysterically at the same time as Edward carried him upside down, only to slap a handful of snow on his exposed belly. "Help!"

"Oh, no…you're on your own, buddy," I told him, smiling at the evil laugh Edward gave. Even better was the sudden assault of snowballs from almost every direction. "Oh hell…"

Tanya, Janie, Irina, Quinn, Lauren, and Seth all threw at just about the same time, nailing Edward's back, legs, and sides. He collapsed into a snowbank with a growling laugh as Freddie scrambled away from him. Emmett stood up from behind a snow barricade, and I saw he was leading the assault on poor Edward.

"I don't know which one's the bigger kid," Esme muttered, snickering at my grin.

"Me, either."

The far back corner of the property was the greenhouse, but Randall and Jasper had done an amazing job at adding to it quickly. Not only had they created a small area for the chickens, including a coop, but they'd built a small stall for the goats and hutch for the rabbits…and a holding area for Esme's specimens.

The mere sight of them made me grimace. I hated the idea of them inside the grounds, but they'd been rendered harmless. The two zekes from the upstairs bedroom of the lake house had been brought back by Quinn and Jasper a few hours after Sasha had been stitched up. The one from the basement was dead. I'd been unable to stop myself from killing it, simply because it was trying its damnedest to get to Freddie. Before tossing them into the four-wheeler's trailer, Randall had removed their arms and somehow broken their jaws. They couldn't get to anyone now.

The snow started to fall lightly again, and I pulled my hood up as Esme opened the enclosure. The zekes were tied to a tree, sitting down on the ground since their legs had been shot by Edward and Quinn. But we now knew what they'd do in the snow.

While the rain made them keener, more animalistic, the snow did, too, but the cold slowed them down. So, while they snapped and lunged and sensed their food nearby, their bodies simply wouldn't cooperate. They slowed down tremendously. My only thought was that it would give survivors everywhere an advantage, and I hoped people were using it, cleaning up quickly. I wondered for a moment how long it would take to rid the world of the walking dead.

Esme pulled on rubber gloves, the kind used to wash dishes, and then she reached into her coat pocket for a few long, scary syringes. Pushing the zeke's head to the side, she ignored the growls, the grunts, and slipped that needle into the soft spot behind its ear. She moved carefully, meticulously, drawing her samples. She took from both zekes and from different portions of the brain but spoke softly to me.

"If I move too quickly, I'll kill it," she muttered, glancing my way. "It doesn't take much to cause damage. Despite their consistent state, the brain is – and always will be – the key."

She tucked the now full syringes back into her pocket and took out small containers and a scalpel, taking samples of their skin, teeth, and saliva. It was disgusting, but she did it all with no expression on her face. Esme was on a mission.

"What are the chances you'll find something?" I asked her.

She smiled, looking over at me with eyes that matched her son's. "I'm not sure. I've studied everything the military left behind that day in Florida. I was lucky they backed up their computer data on paper. I'd heard rumors about such bio-weapons, but unless you're directly involved, it's top secret." She closed the lid on the last container and put it in her pocket, standing up in front of me. "They had no idea what they were dealing with. And I don't think they knew it would mutate."

My eyebrows shot up at that. "Mutate?"

"It did." She nodded, gesturing for me to exit the holding area. "Come, I'll show you."

We managed to avoid getting nailed by friendly snowball fire as we walked across the backyard, and she led me through the lobby and into the clinic. Carlisle was sitting on a stool in front of the counter. His eye was pressed to a microscope. He smiled when he glanced up at me.

"Hey, sweetheart," he greeted, leaning into my kiss to his cheek.

Esme handed him the containers and syringes, only to pull out the big, fat file folder I'd seen them reading on many occasion. She set it down on the examination table, flipping through the pages.

When she found the picture she was looking for, she pointed to it, saying, "This is how the virus looked when they first got ahold of it."

The picture in front of me was of a cell, all spiky and red and angry-looking. When I looked up at her, Carlisle shifted the microscope to me.

"And this is the virus now," he added.

I peeked through the thing, noting that the cell looked about the same except for a slash of yellow running through it.

"What's the change?" I asked them, knowing they could truly obliterate me with medical terms and knowledge, but I knew they wouldn't do that. It just wasn't their way.

Esme flipped slowly through the file, finally looking up at me. "The day the hurricane hit Florida, it caused a serious amount of wind damage, not to mention tornadoes. When the lab was destroyed, it released the virus. It had been in containment, and when the lab techs tried to salvage the samples, it went…not necessarily airborne…but it found its first host." She held up a finger. "If I had to guess, I'd say that the technician wasn't protected enough. At the time, their samples were highly concentrated. Lethal. Just sitting in the vial, it would've been deadly. With all that wind, damage, glass, and chaos, my theory is that the person accidentally allowed the sample to come into contact with an open wound or their eyes or something that would give the virus a chance to latch on.

"Due to its concentrated state, that tech was deadly to those around him within seconds, which unleashed a huge chain of events. The virus went from cold-like symptoms that shook the whole world, to simply passing through the bite of the infected. And that's the change that you're seeing here." She gestured between the picture in the file to the microscope. "It mutated, skipping the longer process and going directly for the bloodstream. It _adapted_ to its environment."

"And it adapted quicker than I've ever seen," Carlisle added, shaking his head and rubbing his face wearily. "Those first technicians – patients zero through whatever number – transferred the virus to several people simply by coming in contact with them – gas stations, restaurants, neighborhoods, family members, you name it. Oils in their skin, saliva, tears, blood…anything could've set off the events. What's the first thing you do when you're sick? You go to the hospital or doctor, and from there it had an entire building of hosts. And it spread and spread and spread until the flu started killing off everyone. As more people died, the zekes lost their hosts _and_ food sources. It found a way to slow itself down in order to allow food to become the primary directive, instead of attaching to hosts. However, it now does both. Food first, and then the virus attaches to the spent body."

"Then how come we all didn't get sick?" I asked.

"Pure unadulterated…_luck_." Esme's voice was sharp and firm. "By the time the virus had mutated, the flu was just about over. Not everyone goes to the doctor when sick, and by the time it reached this side of the country, it had most likely already started to change."

"Could it mutate again?"

"Probably," Carlisle answered but shook his head again. "But I doubt it. It seems to have leveled out into what we see here." He tapped the microscope. "Now…what we've learned is…there's no reversal. None." He grimaced but picked up a different container to hold up. "It wouldn't matter what we do… We can't take those to zekes in the holding pen out there and turn them back into normal, functioning human beings again. There's just too much physical damage. Their brains are essentially…mush. They also don't have a circulatory system, so there's no way to actually give them anything. It wouldn't do a bit of good."

"So…" I dragged out the word. "Immunization?"

"That would be our best bet. Our only bet, really," he answered, smiling a little, and it reminded me of Edward's slightly cocky crooked grin. "Sasha was the biggest clue yet. Though, we've taken some blood samples from a couple of the rabbits in the cage out there. Both are immune to the virus."

Esme stepped forward a little. "If we can find out what component in their blood allows them to stay healthy despite the virus's introduction into their bloodstream, then maybe we can come up with a guard against future bites."

"Which means, the zekes could bite all they want, but it would have no viral effect on humans; there would be no turning, just a wound," Carlisle clarified. "Just like they did to Sasha."

"Huh," I huffed in shock and hope and awe. They really were onto something. But what hit me the hardest, with the most shock, was the fact that I could've lost the two people in front of me, not to mention Edward and Emmett. A wave of gratefulness hit me like a tsunami, making tears well up in my eyes. "I… That was…too close. I could've lost you…_all of you_."

Carlisle smiled warmly, wrapping me in a hug. "It was very close, and we were fortunate that the damage cut us all off from the virus. We sealed off the lab, Bella, which kept Emmett and Edward safe."

Why that thought scared me _now_, after all we'd survived and been through, I had no idea. I spun when Edward's deep chuckle met my ears behind me, and I rushed to him, wrapping my arms around his middle.

"Shortcake?" His laugh faltered, and his body was cold and damp from playing outside in the snow. "Bella, what's wrong?" he asked in my ear, only to turn the questions to his parents. "What the hell did you say to her?"

Sniffling, I shook my head and looked up at him as his parents laughed softly at us. "Hush, Edward… I'm just being stupid."

He grinned, shaking his head, but it all turned to warmth when he met my gaze. "So…do I want to know?"

I sighed deeply just to breathe him in, finally letting him go. "No, I'm okay. Just…thankful."

He pressed his lips to my forehead, snickering against my skin when I shivered. "Sorry," he whispered as he linked our fingers together. "I'm gonna go change." With a gentle tug, he silently asked me to come with him, and I nodded.

Once we were upstairs, I saw that he'd sent Freddie up here to get into warm, dry clothes, too. Though, my son was wired for sound and was redressed just about the second we stepped into the suite. He rambled excitedly about Grandpa Charlie and Christmas trees and Santa before dodging around us and out the door.

Edward chuckled softly as he led me to our bedroom. Letting my hand go, he grabbed fresh, dry clothes, only to step into the bathroom and strip down. When he was down to his boxer briefs, he lifted me up to the vanity, stepping between my legs.

"Spill it, Shortcake," he whispered, cupping my face and lightly caressing my face with his calloused thumbs. "You just about broke my ribs."

Giggling, I leaned into his touch. My amusement fell away quickly, though. "Your parents were telling me about the virus, and I realized just how damn close I came to losing you…all of you."

Understanding dawned on his handsome face, and he sniffed once, glancing around. "Yeah. Damn close, but we're okay, baby."

"I know." I grasped either side of his face and brought his lips to mine. "I know, Edward, but hearing it, seeing the pictures of the damn thing…it just…hit me."

He smiled warmly. "Fair enough. I'm supposed to help them set up the tree – they need a hand building the stand or some shit – but I'll stay with you, baby. Just say the word…"

Smiling up at him, I sighed. "No, Carmen and I have plans for the kids and making Christmas ornaments. I have a feeling your buddy, Tanya, and our son are gonna eat more popcorn than they string."

Laughing, he nodded in agreement. "I wouldn't doubt it, Bella. It's their favorite snack. I'd be willing to bet they'll think it's wasting good popcorn."

"Well, maybe we can figure something else out."

His lips met mine, softly and gently. "But you're okay?"

"I'm fine, Edward. I promise," I vowed honestly, simply because no matter how close the call was all those months ago, I had him _right there_. I was touching and hugging and kissing him, so I was perfect. I took his dog tags in my hand, tugging him closer, which made him smirk, but he stayed quiet as I folded myself around him again just to hear his heart beating in his strong chest.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Edward," I whispered against his skin, which smelled like snow and trees and just Edward.

I felt kisses dropped to my head, cheek, and finally, he lifted my chin to kiss my lips. "You, too, Shortcake."

I eventually – after much teasing from Edward – let him get redressed so that we could join everyone downstairs to help with the tree. We walked in to hissed curses, giggling kids, and pine needles everywhere. After much bickering and three tries at getting the damn thing to stand up straight, the tall pine sat in the corner of the lobby between the fireplace and the back deck doors. The table was a beehive of activity as Tanya, Janie, Irina, and Freddie were making Christmas decorations with paper we'd found in the office, not to mention crayons and markers. Instead of popcorn, which was deemed an irrational idea by Freddie and Tanya, the kids used scissors to cut out strings of snowflakes to wrap around the tree as garland. When Quinn showed up with a box from the basement filled with the lodge's own decorations, the tree ended up a gorgeous sight to behold.

But it was Seth's discovery that caught my dad's attention the most. A radio. Small and portable, not to mention battery operated, it was set on the long table while Seth tried to find any stations trying to get messages out to people. There wasn't much. But he found one station that had an emergency broadcast message on repeat, which meant that a station somewhere in Seattle still had power.

"You know what we need to check out?" Emmett piped up as he spun a chair around and sat down. When we turned our attention to him, he pointed toward the back deck doors. "We need to fire up the CB in the Hummer. We'd given up on it in Florida, but people may have started trying for contact now that winter's here. The zekes are slow, easy to pick off, so maybe people are finally able to catch a break and get a message out."

"Mm," Dad hummed in agreement. "Not a bad idea, Em."

"When the snow lets up, I'll get out there," he volunteered.

"Let me know what you find, but don't reveal anything over that radio. Just run a search."

Leaning back against Edward as we listened to Quinn pick out Christmas songs on his guitar, I wondered just how many groups were out there like us – people just trying to stick together and survive. And then I wondered how many were like Caius's group – people who could hurt us, people who just wanted to take, people who would kill just because they could. I snuggled into Edward closer, and he wrapped his arms around me. The world was a dangerous, scary place now, but I remembered what Edward had said just before we left the cabins at Blackwood Lake. He'd said that things couldn't always stay bad, that life had to find a way to continue, even if it was a completely different life than any of us knew before. He said he had to believe that. As I watched my son hang paper ornaments on the tree surrounded by some people we'd never have known, never have met had it not been for the virus, I could see a small hint of hope, but it scared me to give into it. While Edward had always been an optimist, he'd always been a realist, too. The hope he had wouldn't stop him from protecting me, Freddie…all of us, should things go awry. Pulling back, I looked up at Edward, who tore his quiet gaze away from his son.

"What?" he asked, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"You think… You think there are others out there…people like us?"

He smiled. "I hope so. We can't be the only civilized people left."

"What if we are?" I asked him with a humorless laugh.

Edward studied my face, his expression somber. "Then they'll either stay away…or we'll make them. It's really that simple, Shortcake." When I didn't say anything, he turned to face me, his voice soft, only for me. "We've all walked through the pits of fucking hell to get here…to this place. There's not a person in this room that won't fight to keep it…and I don't even mean this lodge. I mean this…" He gestured a finger around the room at everyone laughing, smiling, singing, or just soaking up the atmosphere quietly. "Just this. This feeling of community, family, belonging. That alone is worth fighting for, even if we had to start over somewhere new. However, the longer we're here, the longer we keep growing roots here, the harder it would be for someone to come here and disrupt it. I've seen it. I saw it overseas. The mightiest, bravest warriors were the little guys – the people struggling just to feed their family, keep them safe. They'll fight tigers with rocks and sticks to protect them."

There were times I'd forgotten the things Edward had seen prior to the virus. My brow furrowed as I cupped his face.

"And if your parents come up with something? Are we responsible for getting it out there?" I asked him.

He sighed, shrugging a shoulder. "I don't know, Shortcake. Yes, no…probably? One thing at a time, okay?" He smiled at my chuckle. "Relax," he whispered against my lips. "Your head is all over the place today."

"It is. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I get it," he soothed. "Just…let it go. At least for this," he said, pointing to the tree, but then he waved over Freddie, who happened to have a big, gold metal star in his hand.

"Dad! Help me!" he ordered, wearing a smile that made all the worries fade away. "I can't reach!"

"See?" Edward said with a grin, dropping a kiss to my lips before standing up and scooping our son up into his arms. "Ready, buddy?" he asked Freddie, spinning him around and raising him up so he could put the star on the top of the tree like he was slam-dunking a basketball.

God, I loved them both. I loved that my husband was the epitome of calm, cool, and collected, no matter what emotional upheavals I threw his way. I loved that he knew things could go wrong but that he wasn't dwelling on it. And I loved the sight of him holding, teasing, and tickling our son, simply because it could've all been snatched away. But it wasn't.

Edward was right. Life was too precious to let the good slip past us while worrying about the what ifs.

**~oOo~**

**EDWARD**

_**Lake Crescent, Washington**_

_Eight months after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

Our breath plumed out with every exhale Freddie and I let out. The snow was thick, sticking to every-damn-thing. I glanced across the clearing, noting where my dad and Jasper were huddled down in their own spot. We'd tracked all day the day before, and we were hoping we'd be able to bring something home by the afternoon.

Freddie shifted a little, but he'd been so excited about this hunting trip that it wasn't surprising he was fidgety. It was what he'd asked for, what he'd wanted for his Christmas present – hunting with just the Cullen men. The thought made me smile and gaze over at him. He'd heard Jasper and me teasing my dad about a past trip when we were kids, so he wanted it. We needed the meat, so it was a win-win trip. It was just the four of us. Just family.

Bella had been wary at first, but she knew it was important to Freddie, and as much as we'd wanted to take Sasha with us, she wasn't quite ready. The dog was getting stronger every day, though. She'd lost the stitches but not the limp just yet. She'd have a scar, but that beat losing her altogether. And she was getting more and more restless. With every zeke herd that we'd encountered since she'd gotten hurt, she'd tried to help but couldn't. Making her stay behind had been hard but necessary.

Luckily, the zekes moved slower in the cold weather, but that didn't make them any less dangerous. They'd sometimes lie in wait, hidden beneath snowdrifts, attacking when someone walked near. We'd just about lost Charlie to one like that, but we'd pulled him away just in time.

I checked Freddie over without saying anything, simply because Bella would kick my ass should he get too cold or catch the flu or something. He was bundled up just fine, not that he was paying much attention to the weather. I adjusted my own wool skull-cap, only to reach over and do the same to his.

"Warm enough?" I asked him, smiling when he nodded but rolled his eyes up at me. "Don't even start with me, son. Your mother's wrath scares me, so don't get me into trouble."

He grinned. "You're scared of Mom?"

"You have no idea," I muttered, chuckling when he laughed softly at me. "One day, you'll understand, buddy."

"But she's a _girl_."

"Yeah, she is, and girls hold _all_ the power. Trust me," I told him. "They can make you feel like a hero or break you with one word."

"Did Mom?"

Smirking at him, I sat back against the tree trunk behind me. "Oh, yeah." I nodded, giving the clearing a quick glance. "The first time I ever saw your mom, I thought she was pretty. We were in school, and she was the new girl. The first time I ever _talked_ to your mom, though, I thought for sure she'd turn me down. She was so confident…_and _pretty. She could've had any guy in the room."

He grinned. "Mom tells it different."

Chuckling, I shook my head. "I'm sure she does."

"She says that you were a handsome soldier about to go away to war and that you came into Shelly's with Jasper. She said you were already a hero and that you looked scared about leaving."

"Oh, God. I was," I agreed. "I was leaving everything I knew, _everyone_ I knew. And I wasn't so sure I'd make it back."

"But you did."

"I did. And I talked and wrote letters with your mom the whole time I was gone. She kept me from going crazy. I didn't realize just how much I needed a _friend _over there, despite the fact that I thought she was the prettiest thing I'd ever seen."

"You still think she's pretty?"

"The prettiest. Don't you?"

"Yeah," he sighed, smiling my way. "But you're still scared of her?"

"Terrified."

His giggle was so much like Bella's that I couldn't help but pull him close for a moment and kiss his temple.

"Your mom is like an angry bear when it comes to you, Freddie. As much as she loves me, she would kill for you, and so would I, but you come first to us, to _her_. So if I bring you home in anything less than perfect condition, she'd give me hell."

"I'm gonna tell her you said that."

"Trust me, she knows."

"Did you…" His teasing expression faded away, and he looked down at the rifle across his lap. He didn't look up when he asked his next question. "Did you think we…she…was dead?" He met my eyes. "When you were coming to us?"

I reached for his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "I didn't know, Freddie. Did the thought cross my mind? Daily. Hourly, almost. But I'd made you two a promise, and I did my best to…just keep going."

He nodded, letting out a sigh. "She was sad. She…cried at night for you. She thought I was asleep, but I heard her. Sometimes, she'd sleep in my bed and wake me up. I'd hug her like you told me to, but…"

Swallowing thickly, I nodded. It was one thing to hear these things from Jasper or Angela, even Charlie, but to hear it out of my son's mouth was heartbreaking. I finally pulled him to me, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"You took amazing care of each other, son," I whispered in his ear. "Never think you didn't."

"I told her you'd be mad if we gave up."

Grinning, I nodded. "I might have been. You never know. Though, I can't see either of you giving up. Both of you are way too stubborn."

He chuckled. "Mom says _you're_ the stubborn one."

Shrugging a shoulder, I smiled. "Maybe."

He opened his mouth to say something else, but it fell away quickly when the beautiful doe stepped into the clearing. She was twitchy, cautious, but healthy and strong.

"This is on you, Freddie," I whispered as quietly as I could in his ear as he readied his rifle. "Remember to aim for just behind the shoulder…" I caught sight of Dad and Jasper across the way. We'd already made the decision to let Freddie take the first shot. Should he miss, we'd back him up. Dad gave me silent hand signals, telling me to go for it but that Jasper had a shot, as well.

Freddie aimed, and I could see his nerves, so I leaned back to his ear. "Deep breath, let it out slowly. Relax. If you miss, Jasper's got your back. But I don't think you will. You _so_ got this, buddy."

He steeled himself for a second, slowly squeezing the trigger. The pop echoed around us, but so did the thump of the doe hitting the snow.

"That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!"I praised him, grinning at his shocked but pride-filled expression. "Awesome job!"

He grinned but stood up when my dad whistled for us. My son turned back to me. "I'm glad you didn't give up, either."

Scooping him up, I kissed his forehead and then carried him across the clearing, where my father and cousin were watching us with amusement.

"C'mon, Freddie. Let's load her up and get back to your mom, okay?" I asked, setting him down.

Dad and Jasper gave him high-fives, but he nodded. "Okay."

**~oOo~**

There was little sound outside, except for the crunch of my boots in the snow. I wanted to make one last round of the fences before the end of the night. It was Christmas Eve, and despite the fact that we'd just gotten back from hunting the day before, I took the last security round for the night, just to give everyone else a break.

A glance above me showed every damn star imaginable. It reminded me of Wyoming and how I'd thought the lack of lights and human sounds were eerie. It still was a little eerie, except that the faint sound of laughter and singing could be heard from the lobby. Quinn had been playing his guitar when I'd walked out, but it seemed that someone had put my parents' old record player from their cabin at Blackwood Lake to use. And they'd found some old-school Christmas records. The sound of Bing Crosby, Elvis, and Judy Garland wasn't exactly a bad thing – strange after all this time, but not bad at all.

Shoving my hands into the pockets of my jacket, I kept going, stopping long enough to check the front gates in order to make sure they were locked up tight. We'd opted for a bit of chain and a key lock, but it helped give us the sense of safety. The zekes couldn't break in, but survivors probably could, should they put their mind to it. However, since the incident with Caius, we hadn't seen any more survivors in the area.

For a moment, I wondered if Bella was right, if maybe we were the only civilized people left. Emmett had taken to scanning through every CB channel just about daily in the Hummer. So far, he'd found nothing but static, but he was determined to keep checking, just in case.

My concern wasn't that there were others out there, but what those people may be like. Up until that point, most of the surviving people we'd come across weren't exactly noble. In fact, the last decent people I'd seen had been at the very beginning. The farmers in Florida had allowed us to camp for one night, though a herd had come through during a fairly nasty summer rainstorm. We'd tried to help them, but they'd lost a few family members that night. We'd offered to help, but they'd declined. Everyone else we'd found had either joined us, or they'd unfortunately had bad intensions toward us. It didn't give me much hope for anyone else out there.

I reached up, tugging my wool cap off to rake my fingers through my hair with a sigh, only to pull it back on when I heard the crunch of snow behind me. I turned to see Bella, and I smiled.

"You get pissed when others come out here by themselves. You should follow your own rules, Edward," she teased, but her eyes told me she kind of meant it.

Smirking her way, I reached up to brush back a stray hair that didn't quite make it into her wool hat. "Sorry, Shortcake. You and Freddie were having way too much fun eating popcorn. You're right, though. I just didn't want to disturb…that." I pointed toward the lodge's front doors when I heard laughter and singing again. "I was only taking one more walk."

She nodded, holding out her hand for mine. "I'll help you."

Slipping my hand into hers, we stayed quiet for the next section of fencing. It was the eastern portion and the thickest part of the trees that were incorporated inside the property. Bella came to a stop, gazing out into the woods, and I listened. Aside from the music that was just a touch fainter, I heard the tell-tale growls and the crunching of snow. Something was moving around in the shadows of the woods on the other side of the fence.

"We can leave it, or we can wait it out," I suggested, letting out a deep breath, but I pulled the crossbow around just in case.

Her eyes narrowed, and her head tilted. "It's…close. Only one?"

"That's what I'm thinking."

There wasn't much light, except for what the moon was giving off, and I dragged my gaze from the woods to closer up – the fence, the snowdrifts along the bushes, the nearby tree trunks. It was right up against the fence that I saw movement. Wrapping an arm around Bella's waist, I pulled her back, setting her behind me, simply because she didn't have her weapon at the ready. A purple-black hand shot out through the bars of the fence right where she'd been standing. Had she still been there, it would've grabbed her leg.

Reaching down, I pulled hard on the arm, causing the zeke's head to break through the pile of snow he was under and slam into the iron bars. I let loose an arrow at the same time, ending the son of a bitch.

Rounding on her, I let out a deep breath. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she barely said aloud but nodded vehemently. When she met my gaze, her eyes were wide with a touch of shock. "Sorry. I didn't see him."

"Don't be, baby," I told her, kissing her forehead. "The sounds carry funny in the snow. I only just saw him…"

She went to reach for my spent arrow, and I gently grabbed her arm. "Leave it, Bella. I'll get it in the morning when there's light. If there's more out there, then at least they're fucking quiet."

She smirked but nodded. "Okay, I love you, but can we finish this? It's Christmas, and killing these things weren't exactly what I had in mind for festive activities."

Grinning, I let out a laugh. "What'choo want, Shortcake?" I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her along the last back portion of the fence. "We can't exactly hold up our old tradition, beautiful," I whispered in her ear, chuckling when she let out a little giggle. "But fuck, I'll miss that."

My lips lingered on her temple as I thought back to Christmases from our past. Ever since Freddie had come along, we'd done just about the same thing every damn year. We'd put him to bed with promises of Santa coming the next morning. Once he was out cold, we'd put all his presents underneath the tree, open a bottle of wine or made hot chocolate, and turn out every light in the house except for the lights on the tree. With Christmas music on low, we usually lost ourselves right there on the sofa in the living room, if not the floor in front of the fireplace.

Bella giggled again. "We _can_, just not in front of the tree."

"Mmm, true," I allowed in a whisper against her cheek. "It _is_ a community tree."

Her smile was brighter than the damn moon, but with one more kiss, we checked the last part of the fence. The small gate leading down to the dock of the lake was fine, locked up tight, and there weren't any more zekes that we could hear or see. After we stepped back in through the kitchen so I could clean up, we then made our way into the lobby. I chuckled at the sight in front of me. Garrett was reading Dickens' _A Christmas Carol_ to all the kids, but most of them were sound asleep, leaving the adults listening.

My son was crashed out between my parents. His head was in my mother's lap as she ran fingers through his hair.

"He wanted to wait for Santa, but…"

"He never makes it," I told her with a soft laugh, lifting him up into my arms. "Have you guys got…" I started, pointing to the tree.

"Yeah, we'll handle it," my dad said, standing up and kissing Bella's cheek. "We're plenty practiced with you, so we can do this for them."

He gestured to not only Freddie, but to Irina, Felix, and Janie, too. They were the youngest, the ones who still needed the magic of Christmas. Tanya had outgrown it, as had Seth, Quinn, and Lauren, and Baby Zoe was too little to understand anything. But we'd all tried to come up with something for them for Christmas morning. Sue and Maggie had made doll clothes for Irina's dolls. Jasper and Garrett had put their heads together to make building blocks for little Felix. And Emmett had found a few board games and toys at a store across the lake and hidden them in the boat they'd brought back. However, he'd specifically saved a brand new, still-in-the-box football for Freddie. Where he'd found it, I had no idea, but he knew I'd wanted to teach my boy the game I'd played in high school. It wasn't much, and it certainly wasn't like Christmases we'd had before, but Freddie wasn't the only one looking forward to Christmas morning.

With a smile, a kiss to Freddie's forehead and my mother's cheek, and a nod to everyone, I led my family upstairs to our room.

"We can at least keep this tradition," Bella whispered, pulling back the covers to Freddie's bed so that I could set him down. She went about taking off his shoes; he'd already been in pajamas. She leaned down, pressing kisses to his cheeks and forehead and whispering, "Merry Christmas, kiddo."

I chuckled softly when our boy stirred, mumbling about being good and Santa and cookies.

"Oh, yeah, buddy… You've been a _really_ good boy this year," I whispered to him, thinking back to our talk when we were hunting, about taking care of his mom, which seemed to settle him back into a deep sleep. I brushed his hair from his head, much like my mother used to do to me.

We left a lantern on low just outside his room. The suite wasn't all that big, but Bella felt safer if we could see to Freddie's room should something happen in the middle of the night. Once Freddie rolled over, practically burying himself in the covers, I walked into the sitting area and threw another log on the fire.

Bella was quiet when we stepped into our room. Watching her for a moment as I dropped my cap to the top of the dresser, I noted a change in her demeanor from the teasing thing she'd been outside.

"Shortcake?"

She sat down hard on the edge of the bed, looking up at me, but a light, humorless laugh escaped her. "I didn't… I didn't think I'd see Christmas, much less with _you_…with everyone, really."

Kneeling in front of her, I took her hands in mine, kissing her fingers. "Honestly, I wasn't sure either, baby." I shrugged a shoulder when her gaze met mine. "Hell, I could barely think beyond the moment I was in, much less holidays. I'm sure I saw Fourth of July, but I couldn't tell you where I was or what the fuck I was doing."

She smirked, linking all our fingers together and curling them to her chest as she leaned closer. "I'm sure," she allowed, pressing a soft, sweet kiss to my lips. "I can barely remember Forks." She let her forehead fall to mine. "I remember all the things that made us…us, but I couldn't tell you what color Shelly's Bar was painted…or how to get to the post office."

Chuckling lightly, I kissed her. "I'm thinking those things aren't important anymore, Bella. And it's okay." Sighing a little, I met her sweet, warm dark eyes. "I hate that I don't have anything to give you."

"You're here, right?"

Laughing, I nodded. "I am."

"Then…trust me, I'm quite grateful to Santa."

"Pfft…that old, fat man ain't got nothin' on me, Shortcake," I teased her, simply to make her giggle, which worked like a damn charm. "And I don't have an affinity for little people in pointy shoes…just feisty brunettes with sweet asses…" I tried to pull my hands from hers, but she held them tighter.

"Shut up, Edward," she said with a laugh, but she finally let my fingers go, reaching for my face. One hand slipped into my hair, while the other traced across my lips, along my jaw, and down my nose.

Fuck, I lived for that sound. I'd lived for it since the damn beginning. Her smile had always lit up her beautiful face into something just shy of angelic. When she laughed, whatever worries she had seemed to melt away, and I wanted to keep it that way, if only for the small moments we could grab up every now and then.

"I'll tell you what I want, though, Edward," she whispered against my lips.

"What's that, baby?"

"You."

I felt her kisses go from sweet pecks to lingering and needy pretty damn quick, and my eyes raked all over her face before I said, "Done."

I sensed something in her let go, and I fell with her, giving in to truly kiss her. Her grip in my hair tightened just a little as I braced my hands on either side of her thighs as she stayed sitting on the edge of the bed. I sat up on my knees, reaching for her ass, only to tug her roughly to me, and immediately, her legs wrapped around me. Her kisses were deep, all-consuming, making me practically shake in want of her. It never took long for us to lose ourselves. Hell, the week just before I'd left for Afghanistan, the week I'd first met her, our kisses were heat and want and need. And it only got better from there.

Hands grabbed for clothes, and I barely stopped kissing her long enough to stand up to kick out of my shoes. She shoved at my jacket, hoodie, and finally pushed my T-shirt up as far as she could before it stopped underneath my arms.

Before she could take it the rest of the way off, I tugged her boots off, dropping them to the floor and grasping the front of her jeans. When I practically lifted her off the bed to undo them and yank them down, another amazingly sexy giggle escaped her, which made me smile against the skin of her thigh.

"Tight-ass jeans," I teased her in a growl against her knee, nipping at the skin with my teeth as she let out another little laugh. "Get your ass up on that bed, Shortcake," I ordered her, drinking in every damn move she made as she scooted back to the pillows.

She was bare legs and dark eyes, still wearing her sweater and underwear. Reaching back, I grabbed a fistful of my T-shirt and pulled it off over my head, only to drop it to the floor. Crawling up the bed and between her legs, I braced myself over her.

Bella's hands were warm, with a light touch as she skimmed them flat over the skin of my chest, down my back, and around to the front of my jeans. I kept still when she popped open the button and dragged the zipper down slowly, almost torturously slow. I felt every-damn-thing over my hard-as-hell cock, which was aching for her. My hips shifted forward when her hand slipped inside to take my dick into her hand. I wasn't sure where to keep my eyes – her sexy gaze she had on me, or her hand that was working me over.

"You keep that shit up, Bella, and this will be all over soon enough. And honestly, as good as your hand feels, your pussy always feels a million times better."

"What about my mouth?" she asked, licking her lips.

"Pure fucking heaven, but not tonight, baby," I said, dropping my forehead to hers as I kicked out of my jeans and underwear that she'd now successfully pushed off me. "Your mouth is sinful, but I want this…"

My hand cupped her possessively over her underwear. She was so warm and needy that she pressed up against the heel of my hand, which made a smile quirk up on my face just a little. I rubbed, teased, and pressed but didn't quite give her what she wanted, simply because…

"You're too covered up, Bella," I complained against her neck. "Off! All of it. Now!"

She reached down, grasping the bottom of her sweater, and pulled it off. She was left beneath me on the bed with dark hair spread out everywhere, and she arched up to undo her bra. When it was loose, I tugged it away, throwing it somewhere behind me.

Gripping the edge of her underwear, I yanked her up playfully. "These, too, Shortcake. Off."

She shimmied them down, and I was pretty sure they were still around one of her ankles, but at this point, I didn't care. I opened the nightstand drawer by her head and blindly snatched out a condom. As much as I'd hated them before we got married, they were a necessity now, since there wasn't any access to birth control. There was a part of me…_deep down_…that wanted to say fuck it all and take the chances, but the reality of that was life was different, and if my wife got pregnant, I'd lose my sanity trying to keep her safe and worrying about the baby, so we didn't take the chance.

I dropped the little foil packet down by her head on the pillow, whispering, "I want you to come hard for me first, Bella."

With a hand braced by her head and the other flat on her skin, I skimmed over every inch of her – stomach, sternum, lightly around each breast, only to trail fingers around her peaked nipples. Cupping a breast in my hand, I lowered my head in order to take one in my mouth. She was salty-sweet, her skin smelling like something powdery and just Bella. I switched to the other one as my fingers glided down between her legs again to find her wet, swollen. I nipped at her skin as my touch caused her hips to rise up off the bed a little.

"Edward," she groaned against my bare shoulder. "Just…"

Smiling against her cheek, I sank two fingers inside, my eyes practically rolling back into my head at the amazingly sexy sound that she muffled into my neck. My thumb found her clit as my fingers worked her opening. She coated my fingers, and I could hear how wet she was as I curled them just right, finding the spot that always drove her crazy.

"Oh, God…" she grunted out through gritted teeth, her fingers digging into my upper arms.

"Not God…not even Santa… Tell me…"

Her body arched up, shaking from head to toe, her hips working with my hand as her head pressed hard back into the pillow. "Eh…Edward…"

"That's my girl," I praised her but swallowed her cry when she finally let go. When she blearily opened those dark, now sated eyes to look up at me, I smiled at her. "Merry Christmas, Shortcake…"

"Not yet, it isn't," she said with a sexy smile, reaching for the condom. "I believe I asked for you…"

I gripped the covers by her head as she rolled the condom down over me, only to meet her gaze when she pulled me to her. "My apologies, Mrs. Cullen," I whispered, lowering myself down to my elbows once I was lined up at her entrance. I filled her slowly, my eyes never leaving her face, and I shook my head to not only keep myself from coming but in the pure love I had for her. "You'll always be…_so very beautiful_ to me," I stated, which was the simple truth. Reaching down to hitch her leg higher around my waist, I couldn't help but tease her. "But have you been a good girl this year?"

She bit her bottom lip for a second before shaking her head. "No."

"Excellent, 'cause I don't want a good girl right this second."

I loved her hard and completely. It was teasing, it was amazing, and it wasn't unlike our Christmases before where we celebrated the two of us, if only for one night. We'd have to be responsible parents come morning, but for a blink in time, there was no virus, no problems, or no issues. We could've been anywhere – Forks, Blackwood Lake, or the moon, for God's sake. Nothing existed outside that room.

When we were finally sated, we were wrapped around each other so completely it was hard to tell where I ended and she began. I dropped a kiss to her slightly sweaty forehead, thinking that this was our life now. The virus had been set free for going on eight months – hell, we were closing in on a year now – but despite the struggle to get to her, we'd found some sort of normal. It wasn't the normal we knew before but a new normal. It was rough and scary, but we were all slowly clawing and clamoring at something of a life – not just survival. And that thought caused me to squeeze her closer as she started to fall asleep.

"Merry Christmas, Bella," I whispered against her lips, smiling when she muttered it back sleepily, weary eyes barely cracking open. "Sleep, baby. I'm sure we'll be woken up early by our boy tomorrow."

"Love you," was the last thing she barely said aloud before sleep started to take us both.

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… **This might be one of my favorite chapters, if only for the simple stuff, like Edward and Freddie's chat on their hunting trip or the Christmas tree or even Edward and Bella walking the fences. It also seemed fitting that you guys get this chapter this week, since it fell so perfectly with the holidays. That being said...****

**IMPORTANT… I just want to wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas – or whatever it is you celebrate. I want to thank each and every one of you for all the love and support. Try to remember it isn't about presents or sales or parties. It's about who is around you, those people you love, even though they drive you crazy. Life is precious, so treasure it. Merry Christmas… I'll see you next Sunday. Big mistletoe mooches, Deb. ;)**


	21. Chapter 20

**A/N… I hope everyone had a good Christmas. And the new year is coming up, so I hope you have a safe one.**

**I've been asked repeatedly how long this will be, and I said it was looking at about 21/22 chapters. The next chapter is the last regular chapter, and at this point, I've started working on the epi. **

**That being said, I've been told to give this chapter a TISSUES WARNING, not to mention a violence warning…it is the zombie apocalypse after all. Seat belts required…**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 20**

**BELLA**

_**Lake Crescent, Washington**_

_Nine months after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

"I can't believe it's January already…" Alice trailed off with a slow shake of her head as she adjusted her gloves.

I huffed a quiet laugh as I walked between her and Rose, but it was the truth. "It seems like yesterday that Edward left for Florida," I muttered softly, frowning down at the ground as I tried to avoid patches of slushy ice. "For a _few days_," I added sarcastically, which made Rose and Carmen chuckle a little.

I glanced up ahead, just to keep the boys in sight. Edward and Freddie were almost dressed identically, with black wool caps and heavy hooded jackets as they led the way from the boat dock. Emmett, Garrett, and Jasper were behind us. And Sasha – who was blissfully happy to be back in the thick of things – trotted around all of us, just to keep us in check. It was Garrett's and Carmen's first scouting trip, but both had been eager to get away from the lodge for a day or two, admitting to feeling a bit of cabin fever, not to mention Quinn and Randall had been working on the greenhouse, so they couldn't come with us. And Carlisle was busy with research. We needed the extra hands. We were checking out the farthest east end of Lake Crescent. It was a large scouting group, but we were hoping to come away with a fair amount of supplies. We'd taken the boat across just to save time and fuel, and Edward had wanted to get to a high point in order to possibly see Port Angeles in the distance.

My dad and Maggie had warned us that it was possible there wasn't much left, but I was pretty sure Edward was doing it for Emmett's sake. Edward's oldest friend had grown up on the outskirts of the small port town, and even though he wasn't close to his parents, he wondered about them, worried. We'd discussed how far we'd go, which wouldn't be too far off the lake, and there was a log-cabin lodge that everyone wanted us to check out. There would be no driving on this trip, other than the boat, unless we could find a vehicle with enough gas, and my dad had asked we keep the trip to less than two days.

"Everything happened so damned fast," Carmen stated. "One minute, they're talking about the storms in Florida, and the next, the flu had gone crazy. Hell, I remember when the TV stations went off the air and they declared martial law in some places."

We all nodded in agreement, murmuring that we remembered that, as well.

"I was getting ready to leave home," Alice said softly, a sad smile on her face. She'd rarely talk about her family or the farm, but when she did, it was with a sadness to her tone. "I had a friend with an apartment in Little Rock. She'd invited me to move in, start school. I hadn't even told my parents yet."

"I was just about to quit my job," Rose stated with a laugh. "I mean…like one more snide remark from my pig of a boss away from dumping a plate of food on his head."

Grinning, I looked up at her. "Really? That bad?"

"Oh, God… He was an ass-slapping douchebag who couldn't speak without innuendo behind every damn word. There were rumors that he was sleeping with the hostess staff – all of them…at the same time…"

We all laughed, which caused Edward to toss a smile over his shoulder, but he continued down a small path in the woods.

"Edward would've been discharged by now," I said out of the blue but pointed toward him.

"Emmett, too," Rose agreed. "He was talking about that a few nights ago. He was saying he and Edward were going to work for Jasper."

"Hmm," I hummed with a nod. "They were. Jasper was really happy about that because it meant he could take on more construction jobs.

"Who knew it would turn out this way." I sighed, shaking my head. "Almost the other way around, like they'll forever be soldiers, fighting for safety and survival. And now Jasper has to do the same. It's strange how things got completely changed around."

Edward came to a stop up ahead, pulling his crossbow around from his back. He set a hand gently on Freddie's shoulder as he listened intently, his head tilted just a bit. Emmett sent a soft whistle from behind us, and Edward held up a single hand and then a single finger for us to wait. We all came to a stop, though the men behind us caught up quickly. Emmett, however, kept going until he silently came to Edward's side.

Garrett and Jasper took either side of us, but Emmett and Edward stayed stock-still for a moment. It was Sasha that my eyes stayed locked on as she darted forward to stand between my husband and son, and _that_ told me we weren't alone out there.

"Oh, damn," I muttered to myself, and Rose heard me, nodding a little.

I spun around in a circle to check behind us. The woods were quiet, and despite the cold air, the only snow on the ground was in small drifts here and there. The day was a touch overcast, which meant we might have snow later, but for now, it was clear, and if zekes were around, they'd be mobile – not particularly fast, but mobile all the same. If the pack was large enough, they could overrun us.

Edward spun around, waving us forward, and we joined him. We were standing at the edge of railroad tracks. They cut through the forest, disappearing in both directions. On either side were more woods, though I could see the steeple of a church in the distance. According to our maps, the log-cabin lodge was not too far from that.

Sasha's head was low as she seemed to scan the woods on the other side of the train tracks. A cold breeze blew through, rustling the leaves, but the shiver that ran through me wasn't from the temperature of the air but the smell that came with the wind: death. It was heavy, thick, and foul. Sasha's deep growl broke the silence until the snap of a twig met our ears from in front of us.

"Boof," she barely huffed out loud, glancing up to Edward and then back to the tree line.

Edward turned immediately to face us all. "We were aiming for the cabin, which is northwest just on the other side of those woods. But I think we'll need to aim for the church first, just to catch a break. See it?" he asked, pointing up to the cross that barely peeked over the trees.

A zeke stepped from the woods across the train tracks, as did a few more but from the same side we were on. Our scent was drawing them in from the east. The path we'd just traveled suddenly filled up as well, stumbling, groaning zekes spilling out into the dirt road behind us. However, the path in front of us leading over the tracks was clear.

"We gotta move, Ed," Jasper warned softly, readying his crossbow.

Emmett pulled out his sword, and the rest of us followed their example by arming ourselves, but Edward's eyes were sharp, dark, glancing around us, until his gaze landed on Garrett.

"We gotta run, Garrett. Can you…"

Garrett tsked, holding up a hand. "I'm old but not an invalid. Lead the way, son. We'll follow you."

We all murmured in agreement, but Edward pulled Freddie to him. "Don't you worry about aiming, Freddie. Run first, stay with Mom or me, and let me worry about shooting. Am I clear?" When Freddie nodded, wide-eyed and quiet, Edward barked out, "Sasha…on me!" Edward gripped my shoulder, pulling me forward. "The church, Bella. Nowhere else. Even if we get separated, I'll meet you there."

"Ed!" Emmett snapped, raising his sword as one of the first three zekes stumbled from the woods next to us. With three large swings, their heads thumped to the dirt road. "Now!"

All of us ran, though I took Freddie's hand to keep him with me. We followed Edward across the train tracks, and gunfire popped behind us. Fighting broke out behind us, but I heard Jasper tell them to keep moving. Edward opted for his .45 instead of the crossbow but hadn't fired yet. The path was still clear, and the church steeple could still be seen, though it was now growing closer. The pack was enormous, seeming to rival the size of the one that had come through Blackwood Lake the night Edward had come home. And if that were the case, we were truly outnumbered.

Freddie gasped, "Dad!" coming to a stop, which almost caused me to slip and fall, but I just barely stayed upright.

Edward stopped abruptly, popping off four rounds, as the path in front of us slowly closed in. He turned to us, yelling, "Woods! Cut across!"

He veered to the left, stopping just outside the trees, waiting for Freddie, Garrett, and me to pass him by. He fired off two more rounds behind us, yelling for the others to move their asses. Once inside the woods, it was eerily quiet, the sounds of fighting barely making it inside the thick trees. I urged Freddie on, keeping Garrett in my peripheral vision, and I could still hear Edward's instructions to Sasha behind us. She was running full speed to our right, along the side of the path we'd been on, simply to stall the pack that was aiming for us.

White flashed up ahead, breaking through the dense trees, and I wanted to sigh in relief at the sight of the old church. The woods ended just ahead, but just as I thought I'd get Freddie out of there, a hand shot out from behind a thick tree trunk, gripping my jacket. It caused me to stumble, which took down Freddie with me. Covering my son as best I could, I rounded my handgun to my right, firing two shots. Garrett fired his rifle as well, taking out another zeke that had been right behind the first one.

"You guys okay?" he asked us, and I spun to Freddie, who was nodding but pushing himself up into a sitting position. His hand was bleeding, but I could see that he'd cut it on a stick when he'd fallen down.

Reaching for the scarf around my neck, I wrapped it tightly around his hand. "Just hang in there, baby. We'll clean it up when we get to the church."

Freddie's eyes widened, and he called out, "Mr. Garrett!"

I didn't move quickly enough. My shot met its mark, which was a walker stumbling up behind Garrett, but it was too late. A zeke right behind the first had Garrett in her hands before I could fire my shot. Her teeth sank into his neck, and although he could barely speak, he was able to call out to us.

"Go! Run! Leave me!"

I was on my feet, pulling my son up with me and spinning him around to face the church I could still see in the distance. "Go, Freddie."

"But Dad! Mr. Garrett!" he called out, trying to look behind us, but I wouldn't let him.

We practically fell out of the woods and into the churchyard. The sound of yells, gunfire, and running met my ears from behind Freddie and me, but they were farther back. The loudest, closest sound was the three loud _click-click-click_ of a shotgun engaging.

"Get inside the church!" I heard a woman's voice say. I spun to see an older woman standing there. Her hair was salt and pepper, tied back in a low ponytail, and she had her weapon trained on the woods. "How many of your people are out there?"

"N-Nine…um, no…now eight," I told her, my heart hurting that we'd lost Garrett.

She nodded once, saying, "Get him inside. I'll watch for them."

I rushed Freddie up the steps of the old wooden church. The white paint was peeling, there were boards over the windows, and the steps creaked when we flew through the double doors. Inside, there were candles lit everywhere, a makeshift bed off to the side of the pulpit, and the pews had been set up as additional barriers by some of the windows and two doors at the back.

Pulling Freddie to the closest window that faced the woods, I dropped my backpack down, reaching inside for something to help cover his injured hand.

"Wait! Mom, wait!" he argued, shaking his head. "We need to help!"

He lifted his rifle, aiming the barrel awkwardly out the window between two slats nailed up outside. I wanted to argue, but the sounds of yelling and gunfire grew closer. Taking the window next to Freddie's, I aimed my gun.

Emmett, Rose, and Alice practically fell out of the trees a little bit farther down than where Freddie and I had emerged. The old woman fired past them, telling them the same thing she'd said to me, to get inside the church. My son fired his rifle to the old woman's right, taking two zekes down that she hadn't seen, but my eyes scanned for the rest of our group.

Just as Emmett burst through the church doors practically carrying Alice, I finally caught sight of Edward. He had three zekes gripping at his jacket, and with a strong yank of his left arm, he pulled himself free but lost his footing just a little. Before he could stand up straight, I fired three rounds, killing the three zekes in order to give him enough of a chance to break free. He wasn't alone; Sasha came from another section of the woods at full speed, only to circle Edward. When my husband raised his .45 into the woods, I knew he could see better than we could.

"Gimme room, Bells," Emmett stated, falling to his knees next to me and aiming his rifle out the window, and I slid over a little. Glancing around him, I could see Rose had joined Freddie, but Alice was rubbing her leg as she winced in pain on the pew that Emmett had set her on.

We all fired out those windows, and my heart ached when I still hadn't seen Carmen or Jasper. Edward was instructing Sasha as he put another clip in, and the old woman was reloading her shotgun.

I heard her yell for him to get inside, but he simply shook his head no, aiming and firing.

He turned to glance toward our windows, yelling, "Who's missing?"

"Jasper and Carmen," I answered him, taking out two more dead.

Edward merely nodded, taking the chance to load his crossbow as the old woman covered him.

"We're not gonna have enough ammo for this shit," Emmett grunted, using the scope on the rifle, but he huffed softly, wearing a small smile. "Ed!" he yelled out the window. "One o'clock. Jasper and Carmen. You gotta help him. She's hurt."

"Roger that!" Edward called back, running along the edge of the woods and telling Sasha to go in.

Edward disappeared into the trees right behind Sasha, and I had no alternative but to trust Emmett to keep an eye on them through the scope of his rifle. It seemed to take forever, my heart in my throat once Edward's tall form left my sight. We covered the old woman, who seemed to barely even flinch at the size of the pack she was dealing with. From the look of the church, she was alone, so it was probably not the first large group of them she'd dealt with.

"Talk to me, Em," I muttered, glancing over to simply eyeball my son, but he was fiercely firing away.

"Wait for it…wait for it…" he chanted softly, watching through the scope, and then suddenly, he was on his feet and through the church doors, aiming from the front steps. "Ed…Jazz, move your asses!" he ordered, popping off four rounds. "And lady! Let's go!"

Edward and Jasper burst through the trees with Carmen between them, an arm around each of their shoulders. They could barely aim their guns while trying to carry her, and the old woman fired one more shot before turning around and walking quickly toward the doors.

"Sasha!" Edward called over his shoulder, and the big dog leaped over a shrub to run at full speed in through the doors.

Everyone came inside, voices raised, Carmen crying out in pain, and Sasha's nails clicking on the hardwood floors. We stopped firing, and Rose rushed to help the old woman secure a long, strong board across the front doors. The zekes kept coming from the woods, their grunts growing closer to the building, but the windows were high enough that they could barely reach the sill, much less get in. The front doors weren't going anywhere. Edward and Jasper set Carmen gently on the floor, but she was in hysterics.

"Edward, you can't! I need…" Finally, she gripped his jacket. "I've been bit!"

The whole room came to a standstill, and I rushed to her, kneeling next to Edward, who was eying the wound on her arm. We had seconds before the virus took her.

"Kill me now…kill me now…don't let me…" she begged him, and Edward dropped his weapons behind him, gripping his hair. Without letting go of his lapel, she started to shake. "Y-You…m-made m-me a-a p-promise, Edward…Bella! You take care of my babies!"

Edward's face was stone, and I knew him better than anyone. He was fighting every instinct he had at the moment. He wanted revenge, though the enemy was unseen. He was heartbroken for her, her children, and didn't want to end her life, but he started to move stiffly, almost robotic-like, pulling his knife from its sheath around his thigh.

Carmen convulsed, her eyes rolling back in her head, but her skin was already sallow, her eyes glazed over. Her grip on his jacket became more forceful, jerky, less desperate. She wasn't human anymore, and if he didn't act swiftly, she'd pull him in.

"Edward…" I said softly, but there was a warning in my tone.

He nodded vehemently, moving so quickly I barely registered the whole thing. He turned her head, sliding the knife just behind her ear, and Carmen went still, her hand finally releasing his jacket.

The old woman's voice started muttering a soft prayer, but Edward ignored her, simply meeting my gaze. He was pain and shock and anger incarnate. He was quiet, too, and I reached up touch his face.

"You okay?" I asked him. "No bites? Scratches?"

"No…fine. You? Freddie?" he asked, spinning to look around the room, and Freddie ran to us. Edward wrapped his son in a hug, though Freddie was favoring that hand. "What happened?"

"I fell. I'm okay, Daddy," Freddie vowed. "But…but…"

Edward waited, and when his son didn't finish, I answered for him. "We lost Garrett, too."

"Dammit," Edward sighed, his forehead falling to the side of Freddie's head. Without lifting it and with his eyes closed, he addressed the room. "Everybody else okay?"

"Alice twisted her ankle, but she's fine," Emmett answered him.

I glanced over at the girl in question and saw that Jasper was already seeing to her ankle. He wrapped it gently, barely speaking to her aloud, but she nodded at whatever she'd heard.

"We owe you a thank-you," Edward said, finally looking at the old woman.

"You lost people. I'm sorry," she whispered, holding her hand out. "The name's Pierce. Betsy Pierce."

"Edward Cullen. My wife and son…Bella and Freddie."

Betsy shook my hand after everyone else introduced themselves, but she eyed my son. "Freddie, that hand needs to be tended to."

"C'mere, baby," I said, standing up from the floor, and I picked him up. I sat down heavily on one of the church benches, keeping Freddie on my lap. Suddenly, my fierce little warrior disappeared and my baby emerged.

"Will it sting?" he asked in a panic, holding his hand to his chest protectively.

Relief and grief hit me at the same time, and tears welled up in my eyes at the overflow of emotion. Grasping either side of his face, I kissed him roughly.

"If it does, I'll blow on it. Just…humor me, kiddo."

A few snickers echoed in the old place, and Edward stood up, walking to each window, and then turned to face us all. "We're surrounded. Our scent has drawn them in, not to mention the noise."

Jasper got up from the bench and did the same window check, but he also assessed the sky. "We got snow comin' soon, Ed. If we wait it out…"

"They'll freeze up," Edward finished with a nod.

"Stay as long as you'd like." Betsy's voice was kind, if not a touch sad as her gaze fell to Carmen's body. "I have a sheet in the back. We can cover her."

"I got it," Rose told us, helping the woman move a bench in order to open one of the doors on the side of the pulpit.

Freddie whimpered when I cleaned his hand, and I blew on his palm to ease the sting. His green eyes locked on his dad as he took a seat next to us. Edward reached up and tugged Freddie's wool cap off, only to bring his son's forehead to his lips. He nuzzled the side of my head next but stayed quiet while I tended to the deep cut. Had Esme and Carlisle been there, Freddie might've ended up with stitches, but as it was, I could only do so much.

The bleeding had slowed down, and I applied some antibiotic ointment to the cut, wrapping his little hand in gauze. Next, I took his gloves and put them back on him.

"That'll help keep the bandage covered," I told him, and my little guy merely nodded, curling into me.

"Edward," Jasper whispered, sitting down across from us and leaning his elbows on his knees. We all flinched at the grunts and groans and pounding that grew louder against the walls, doors, and windows, but Jasper went on. "She's alone, man. I mean, look at this place…one bed, one weapon, only enough food stashed for one."

Edward nodded, raking a hand through his hair and cracking his knuckles. "I see that," he whispered back. "One issue at a time," he sighed, sitting back in the pew and letting out a long, slow breath. "We'll wait out the snowstorm here if we have to. F-F…" he started, grinning when I tsked at the f-bomb I knew he was about to drop near his son. "I mean… Forget the cabin. We're down two, and two of us are hurt. The goal is now to get us back to the lodge."

"I'm _fine_," Alice urged, shaking her head and sitting up a little.

"Me, too, Dad," Freddie piped up, from my shoulder, but he'd been watching Edward.

"We need supplies, Edward," Emmett argued from his lookout post at the windows. "We've got a few more months of this cold weather. We need canned goods and candles. We need to…"

"I know!" Edward snapped in a hiss. "I'm aware of what we _need_."

"Edward," I chided half-heartedly, because I understood his frustration.

"Sorry," he sighed, grimacing a little.

Betsy and Rose emerged out of the side doors with sheets, blankets, and what looked like curtains and tablecloths in their arms. They dropped them in a pile, and Rose took the top one off and spread it reverently over Carmen.

Edward stood up, his voice deep and sad. "Everyone get some rest. We'll talk about it in a few hours."

**~oOo~**

**EDWARD**

The church was damned dark and quiet, and I leaned against the window, watching the snow fall. Not everyone was asleep, but they stayed silent. We'd put together enough rations to feed everyone, and they'd all made beds on benches or the floor. Betsy had turned on the gas furnace to keep the chill down, but I wondered how much was in the tank and if we were taking all her heat, though the old woman barely batted an eye. The zekes outside had started to settle down…or slow down, really. The herd outside probably numbered around a hundred or so, but they'd stopped attacking the walls and front door. The snow was falling heavily, and I wasn't quite sure how long it would last, but at least everyone was safe. Well, everyone who was left.

My head fell to the glass without a sound, but I squeezed my eyes closed. Two people. We'd lost two fucking people! And now two children no longer had their mother. The guilt of it all racked my frame, making it hard to breathe, and my eyes stung with tears I neither had the energy nor the time to shed. My hands balled up into fists, the cracking of my knuckles breaking the silence of the room.

Familiar arms wrapped around me from the side, and I pulled Bella to my front, burying my face into the crook of her neck and simply breathing her in. She said nothing but held me close, her hands gripping my shirt.

"It's okay, baby," she barely whispered aloud in my ear, but I shook my head.

It wasn't okay. It was far from fucking okay. I'd led these people into a dangerous situation, possibly getting them trapped in this church, and making it home would be a bitch.

"Look at me," she whispered, pulling me back and cupping either side of my face. When I met her gaze, she kissed my lips. "This would've happened no matter what, no matter who'd been in the group. This attack wasn't your fault. It's a risk any of us take each time we step outside the fence. You know that, sweetheart."

I nodded, knowing she was right, but it wasn't easy to hear, considering I still felt responsible. My eyes drifted around the room of huddled forms – some sleeping, some probably not – finally coming to rest on Carmen's covered-up body that had been moved to the back of the room. I'd told her I'd protect her, promised her that precious little Irina and Felix wouldn't be left alone in this fucked-up new world. Now… Now I had to explain to a five-year-old that her mother wasn't ever coming back, and Felix would eventually forget who his mother was, simply because he was too young to understand. And the truth came barreling out of me.

"We're now responsible for those kids, Bella," I whispered, my eyes unable to leave Carmen's covered form. "I…I…" I stumbled over the words. "I wanted more kids with you. I did. Fuck, baby, I still do, but not like this. _Never_ fucking like this!"

"We'll figure it out, Edward," Bella vowed softly, her eyes welling up with tears. "Irina and Felix… We'll figure it out, baby."

I met my wife's gaze and saw nothing but support, but my guilt was eating at me. "I already love them, Shortcake. I did almost the second I found them on the damn street in Wyoming. But…I feel wrong. Like that caused this, like I'm responsible… Like wanting more kids—"

"Oh, God…Edward, baby, _no_," she urged, shaking her head. "This wasn't some…some…_force_ that caused this, that caused her death, Edward. It's just…this new life. It's risky and scary and ugly, and she knew that. She also saw what a good person you were, which is why she asked us in the first place. You didn't do this, baby. I promise."

Leaning a shoulder against the wall, I gazed out into the snowy night again, but my arms wrapped around my wife, pulling her closer. She nuzzled my neck, but I could feel her emotions give a little. I rubbed a flat hand up and down her back.

We stayed that way for a few minutes, but soon we weren't the only ones up. My son was crashed out with Sasha wrapped protectively around him. Alice shifted when Jasper sat up, but everyone else was awake.

"They're coming in from Port Angeles…maybe Seattle, too," Betsy whispered as flickers of candles being lit brightened the room.

"Yeah, that's my theory, too."

"She had children?" the woman asked, her gaze landing on Carmen across the room.

"Yes, ma'am. Two. A little boy – almost a year old – and a little girl who's about to turn six," I told her.

Betsy nodded but stayed quiet for a moment. "There's more of you, I take it."

"We're across the lake in the lodge. We're from…everywhere," I said with a weary sigh and a shake of my head. "We were aiming for the log cabin just up the way. A supply run."

She nodded again, pulling her jacket around her tighter.

"Um… Betsy?" Bella started softly. "Are you…all by yourself?"

The old woman smiled sadly. "I wasn't alone until just before Christmas. I had my son and daughter-in-law, and we'd made it out of Port Angeles, but…" She waved a hand toward the window, and we all understood. "I've been here ever since."

I was about to offer her a place back at the lodge, but she started talking again.

"You'll find a few supplies in that cabin. It's fairly big, and I've only taken what I've needed. About two miles up the road out there, there's a small town. It was hit pretty hard, but there are buildings I haven't checked yet, places my son wanted to check but he didn't get the chance."

"We have room," Bella offered before I could, and I kissed the side of her head.

Betsy smiled, glancing around at everyone who had been listening. "I'd…um, I'd like that."

Jasper got up, slinging his crossbow across his back, and he walked to me. He gave my shoulder a squeeze. "My watch now. Get some sleep, Edward. Come light, we may be able to get the hell out of here. We can decide whether to just haul ass back to the boat or whatever…but it'll wait."

I didn't know what sleep I'd get, but I joined Sasha and Freddie on the pallet Bella had made. Bella curled up around our son, and I took the spot on the other side of her, staring up at the ceiling as a few zekes clawed around outside. Jasper and Betsy spoke so softly that I couldn't hear them, and Sasha's snore was soothing. It wasn't long before I curled myself around Bella and let sleep take me.

**~oOo~**

"Stay away from the snow drifts, and stick to the path!" I ordered, hitching the heavy duffel higher up on my shoulder.

The storm had lightened up by the time the sun had risen. The zekes surrounding the church were frozen, unable to truly move the way they'd wanted. Emmett took his frustration and grief over Garrett and Carmen on the immobile bastards with that sword of his. He practically took them all out by walking around the building. He then led us up the road a bit and into the log cabin, where we found plenty of supplies – lamp oil, canned goods, dry goods, and candles. After clearing it out and loading ourselves up with as much as we could carry, the snow had stopped altogether.

We'd decided to leave the small town Betsy had told us about for another day, another scouting trip. I couldn't risk it; I just didn't have it in me to take the remaining members of my group into something else. And there was a part of me that knew I needed to get back to the lodge. I needed to get Alice back to get that ankle looked at, not to mention Freddie's hand. I wanted to have a long talk with Charlie and my parents concerning Irina and Felix and why we'd lost two people and gained one, but as we boarded the boat, there was another talk that needed to happen before we got back.

I helped everyone with their loads, only to take Bella and Freddie by their shoulders, guiding them to the closest seat.

Bella took the seat beside me, but I pulled Freddie between my legs as Jasper and Emmett readied the boat. I pulled his hand open, tugging off his glove and checking the wound on his hand. It was deep and ugly, but it wasn't bleeding, nor was it an angry-red with infection.

"When we get back, I want you to go see Grandma. Have her look this over, okay?" I asked of him, and he nodded with wide, fearful eyes. "You won't get stitches, buddy. It's been too long. But I just want to make sure you're okay."

"Okay," he promised. He started to step away, but I pulled him back.

"Wait, son," I told him, looking to Bella first, who was aware of what was about to happen, and then back to Freddie. "The three of us need to talk before we get home." I swallowed thickly, because I wasn't sure how he'd take what I was about to tell him. He was a good kid, always had been, but he'd always been the center of Bella's and my attention, and now he wouldn't be. It would be a lot to take. "Buddy, I… You need to understand something. Miss Carmen…she made me make a promise to her. Do you remember what I said about promises?"

"Yeah, Dad. That they were important, that we should stick to our word. Like how school comes first before play, 'cause I promised Mom."

"Exactly," I said, smiling a little at Bella's soft giggle.

"What was the promise?" he asked, tugging at his wool cap when the boat picked up a bit of speed across the lake. He cracked his knuckles, wincing when it hurt his hand.

"The promise was that if something were to happen to her, that your mom and I would take care of Irina and Felix," I stated as gently and honestly as I could.

His brow furrowed, and he glanced to his mother and then back to me. "Does that mean they'll live with us?"

"Yes." I waited a second to see if he had any more questions, but his brow stayed wrinkled. "They lost their mom yesterday, kiddo. Imagine how you'd feel."

He shook his head. "I'd be…sad."

"Absolutely, you'd be sad," I agreed with him. "And they don't even know yet. I've got to tell them when we get back."

"Felix is just a baby."

Bella let out a soft laugh but sat forward in order to cup his face. "That's true, baby, but Irina isn't. She's going to be upset." Bella seemed to think for a minute. "Freddie, you remember that boy in your class at school? Robbie? Remember, he was new…he'd been adopted."

"Oh, yeah. He…he was really happy that he got 'dopted, 'cause he got parents and a brother."

Smirking at the word, I nodded. "Well, this'll kinda be like that. You'll sorta be like a big brother."

That seemed to really get his attention; his eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up high. "Yeah?"

"Well, yeah…" I laughed a little, shaking him playfully, but then my smile fell and I pinched his chin gently between my thumb and forefinger so that he was looking me in the eye. "Look, son, it's like your mom said… Irina will be sad that her mom is gone. She's already lost her dad, so you'll have to have some patience for the changes about to happen, but I made a promise, and I need your help keeping it. Can you do that for me?"

"They're gonna need extra hugs for a bit, but Freddie, that doesn't mean we won't have them for you or won't need them from you, either," Bella added. "Make sense? You're our boy, and we love you, but they're all alone now."

Freddie shook his head. "They're not alone. They're with us!"

Grinning, I pulled him in for a hug and kissed the top of his head. "Yeah, they're with us."

The boat slowed down, and I glanced up to see the lodge coming into view. I took a deep breath and let it out, setting Freddie back down.

"Don't forget, Freddie. Let Grandma look at your hand, okay?" I told him, and he nodded, scrambling for the side of the boat once Charlie had taken the line that Jasper tossed his way.

The bags of supplies were handed over, and we all got off onto the dock, but Charlie's gaze met mine at the sight of Betsy.

"Charlie, this is Betsy Pierce. She'd been living in a church across the lake. And saved our necks," I told him. "Most of us…"

"Aw hell, son," he sighed, realizing who was missing. "Two? Oh, Jesus…Carmen."

I nodded, feeling the guilt all over again, but Bella spoke up.

"If not for Garrett, Freddie and I would've been in trouble. And Carmen…she'd been bitten."

He nodded, but his eyes closed as he rubbed his face roughly. "Damn, those babies."

"I'd promised her…" I started but then shook my head. "I've got no choice now…"

Charlie nodded solemnly, but he gripped my shoulder. "I can't think of anyone else I'd put them with… If you need me, I'll happily be Grandpa Charlie to them, too."

Smirking at him, I figured he'd take that stance, and my own parents already doted on the two kids. They had the entire time we'd been on the road.

I caught sight of little Irina running as fast as she could across the bank and down the dock.

Suddenly, I panicked, looking to Bella and then to Charlie. "I don't know what I'm doin' with a girl! Boys, yeah… Little girls…"

Charlie snorted, elbowing his daughter, but his face was completely serious. "I didn't either. You'll figure it out, son. They're like boys…just softer and cause more gray hair."

Bella rolled her eyes and shook her head, but tears welled up when Irina started calling for Carmen. My panic dissipated when Irina reached for the ladder of the boat and started to climb. I plucked her off the steps and carried her up the dock and into the lobby. I sat down next to the fireplace, and Bella joined me.

Irina reached for my face, turning it so I could look nowhere else but her. "Where's Mommy, Edward?" she asked me.

She was a sharp little thing. She always had been, even from the moment she'd sought my help with her mother in Jackson Hole. She barely let this new world and the ugly things it contained bother her, but she was reading me like a book at the moment. The brightness dimmed in her big brown eyes – eyes that had reminded me of Bella's the first time I'd seen her – and her bottom lip started to tremble.

Her chin dipped, and she focused on my dog tags, toying with them. "She's… Is Mommy comin'?"

"Irina, your mommy…she got hurt, and I…"

"No! I want my mommy!" she started to cry, and I let her, because in all honesty, she had every right to be upset, to grieve, to be sad.

Felix, who had been playing in front of the fireplace, crawled over, using Bella's legs to stand up straight. "'Rina cry," he told my wife, and Bella scooped him up, dropping sniffling kisses to the side of his head. He was blissfully ignorant in the whole thing, and I wasn't sure what was worse – Irina's heartbreak or the fact that he'd have no memory of his mother.

Irina cried herself into exhaustion. I walked with her, sat with her until she fell into a deep sleep on my chest. My dad, Charlie, and Randall were kind enough to move the kids' things from Carmen's room to ours. Freddie seemed to be okay so far with having to share his space, and he'd even helped Bella give Felix dinner.

It was in Freddie's room that Irina finally woke up. It was just the two of us, because Bella was making sure both boys were cleaned up before bed. Deep, sad eyes looked up at me as I settled her into her bed that was now opposite of Freddie's.

"You hungry?" I asked her, simply because she'd slept through dinner. When she yawned and shook her head. I reached for the pajamas Bella had found for her. "Can you dress yourself…or…"

She nodded again, taking the pajamas and sitting up.

"That's good, 'cause I don't know what I'm doin' with these," I told her, taking the pants and starting to pull them down over her head. The result was what I'd wanted – giggles and struggles to pull them off. Grinning at her, I tugged the pants back. She giggled up at me, but she was still out of sorts, I could see that much. "Irina, I… You're gonna share this room with Freddie and Felix for now. Okay?"

She nodded. "I miss Mommy."

"I know you do. You will. But…Miss Bella and I will be here for you and Felix. You know that, right?"

Her eyes looked up at me, and then to the door where Bella stepped in with the boys. Freddie was all squeaky clean with wet hair, and Felix looked like he was about five seconds from falling out on my wife's shoulder. Once she set him down on his bed, he stayed tucked in, his eyes drifting close. Freddie crawled into his bed, starting to set up the checker board for him and Bella's nightly game.

Bella walked to Irina, holding out a hand. "Let's get you a bath, too, baby girl," she told her, and Irina went willingly. They both stopped in front of me, and Bella bent down to kiss my forehead, cheek, and then my lips. "You're doing just fine, baby. Go…take a break. You've been holding her for a while. I'll tuck her in."

"Okay," I sighed, getting up from the bed. They left the room, but I walked to Felix, tucking the covers around him, and then to Freddie, kissing his forehead. "Love you, buddy."

"Love you, too, Dad," he said, pointing to the board. "I'm gonna beat Mom."

Grinning, I ruffled his damp hair. "Good luck with that."

When I walked out into the main part of the suite, I heard girly giggles and splashing from the bathroom. And I smiled, but it felt like a double-edged sword. My heart hurt at what we'd lost and gained all in two damn days. Life moved so fucking quickly now, I could hardly keep up, but I sent a prayer or thought to Carmen, vowing one last time that I'd keep my word, that her two kids would never be alone.

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… I'm pretty sure my pre-readers are still in mourning over Carmen…Garrett, too. I'd seen this coming WAY back. Almost the second that Irina popped up on the sidewalk in Wyoming with Felix in tow. In fact, I almost did it then, but I waited. While my personal "rules" guide me for Edward and Bella and their HEA, I can't promise that for every character. It's a new world, with blurred lines of what is now considered family.**

**Again, the last regular chapter is next. Thursday is looking good for the next update. The epi make take a bit longer, but we'll see. I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Be safe, and may 2015 be an awesome year for all of us! ;) Until next time… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	22. Chapter 21

**A/N… Happy New Year! :D I hope everyone had a safe night, and I hope this next year brings everyone good things. **

**We've reached the last regular chapter. I'm about halfway through the epilogue, and I don't think I'll be done by Sunday, but I'll do my best to make it, and if not, I'll post ASAP. :)**

**There's a bit of a time-jump here, so I'll let you get to it.**

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 21**

**BELLA**

_**Lake Crescent, Washington**_

_One year after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

Stepping outside through the deck doors, I inhaled the sweet scent of spring. The snow had melted, the sun was out, and everyone seemed to be in good spirits with whatever project they were working on.

"Try the old police channel," my dad said, leaning in the passenger-side doorway of the Hummer that was parked beneath the shade by the back deck. "If anyone's looking for contact, that's the best one to use."

Edward reached over and clicked through a channel or two, meeting my dad's gaze with a slow shake of his head. "Static, Chief. It's been that way…"

Even sitting on the deck, I could hear that the static was a constant hiss, but it sputtered with voices that couldn't quite be discerned. I thought I caught words like armed, military, infected, and base, but I couldn't be sure. And it seemed like I wasn't the only one who had heard those words. Edward sat up straighter in the seat, glancing up to my dad.

"We're too far away from Fort Warner for the signal to reach us," he said, clicking a few more knobs, but the voice dissipated as quickly as it had come.

"Which means they're mobile. Leave it. Don't go looking for trouble, son," Dad stated, smoothing down his mustache. "As much as I'd love the idea of the military reorganizing, I just…can't put us out in the open."

"Yeah," Edward sighed, clicking through a few more channels, only to receive more static. "I agree. It's been a year, though. We can't be the only people out there to have found some sort of…I don't know…life."

They went through the channels again before turning the CB off. Edward changed to the radio, scanning through different stations, both AM and FM.

"He's kinda right," Angela sighed, falling down on the outside table next to me. "Edward. He's right. We can't be the only ones who toughed it out, not only through that virus-flu thing but found a way to flourish. Hell, winter was hard, but still…" She jerked her chin toward the far corner of the fence, where a few more graves resided next to Jacob. "That could be worse."

Sighing, I nodded as my eyes took in the makeshift crosses. Edward had seen to it that a group brought back Carmen's body when they went back for another supply run. They'd found her right where we'd left her: the old church where we'd hidden with Betsy. They'd brought Carmen back on the boat, burying her respectively. He'd also wanted Garrett's body, but he couldn't be found, which kind of broke all our hearts. We weren't sure if his body had simply been lost in the big fight we'd had in the woods, or if, when he turned, he started wandering with the pack's remaining zekes. Either option hurt us all.

Then there was Marcus. His death had no violence attached to it, no shocking attack, not a bullet had been used in his defense. Not a single drop of blood had been shed. He'd simply gone to bed one night in February, not waking up the next morning. He'd been in his seventies, walked with a cane, and had a bright spirit, but he'd also had a weak heart, according to Carlisle.

The winter had been hard on all of us – losing three more of our people, the adjustment of Irina and Felix moving in with Edward, Freddie, and me, and keeping everyone warm and fed. The chickens were flourishing, thanks to Alice, as were the rabbits, which Carlisle and Esme occasionally used for blood samples or tests. And the goats had given birth to twins a few weeks back. Our food was manageable, which would most likely improve once the greenhouse was finished. Sue, Maggie, and Alice were working hard to save the vegetables we'd planted in Blackwood Lake. We'd grabbed them in a hurry when we left, doing our best to keep them going in pots, baskets, and bowls. So far, the tomatoes were proving to be the most tenacious.

Most of the kids had gone through the flu, with frighteningly high fevers, thick coughs, and terrible runny noses. It had scared us all, especially when most of the adults went through it, too, but Esme had helped everyone with antibiotics and cough medicine – things she'd salvaged from just about everywhere she'd been. She'd hoarded them away for just such an emergency. However, we'd pretty much used everything she had, so soon, a scouting trip would need to be organized. And this time, it would have to be a big run to Port Angeles or Seattle to hit a hospital or clinic.

"That's true," I agreed with Angela. "It really could be a higher count than that."

She nodded. "How we made it this long with no sight of another survivor, aside from Betsy, is scary, though. I wonder if the remaining people are like us, finally holed up somewhere safe. The zekes keep moving through, but no one alive…" She trailed off a little when the stomping of feet met our ears.

I smiled at the sight of Janie, Freddie, Irina, and Felix all bursting through the doors of the back deck. Felix was holding Janie's hand, looking mighty proud that he was keeping up with her. He was a wobbly, walking thing now, following Freddie and Edward like a chunky shadow.

"Mum-mum-mum," he chanted, reaching out to me with an opening and closing hand.

"Hey, handsome!" I sang, kneeling down on the wood floor so he could run to me. He squealed, his little jeans-clad legs pumping. I swung him up in my arms to smooch all over his chubby cheeks. When Freddie appeared in front of us, I shifted Felix to my hip and cupped my son's face, kissing his forehead. "Hey, baby. How was school with Betsy?" I asked him. The older woman was a retired school teacher, so she'd taken to teaching without even thinking twice. The kids adored her.

Freddie grimaced but shrugged his shoulder in a way that was so much like his dad, it made me chuckle.

"That good, huh?" I asked with a laugh. Though, in his defense, it was a gorgeous, sunny day – a nice change from the rain and cold weather.

He smiled crookedly but nodded, cracking his knuckles. "It was okay. We just wanted to go fishin'." He pointed toward Quinn, Tanya, and Seth, who were getting poles ready on the dock.

"All right. Well, be careful…and _stay on the dock_, kiddo!" I yelled, because he'd already turned away.

"Yes, ma'am!" he called over his shoulder as he ran toward the gate.

I felt a nudge by my elbow, and I turned to Angela. "Look, Bella," she whispered, pointing toward the Hummer where Edward and my dad were still going through stations.

Irina had crawled herself up into the passenger side door, plopping herself down quietly in the seat. To watch her with my dad was adorable. He treated her like a princess, like I remembered him being with me when I was her age. But it was Edward she was drawn to and probably had been since the day she met him. However, it was stronger now. She needed him.

It had been a little less than four months since Carmen's death. Felix had taken to the change without much fuss. Irina, though, had gone through a few weeks of what Esme called grief, but really, the now six-year-old had been angry, occasionally fighting us, crying, nightmares, even wetting the bed. She'd cry for her mother, all the while clinging to Edward or me with a fierce, shaky grip.

She was a sweet little girl, and she was struggling with me – specifically me replacing her mother – but Edward was her go-to person. I was glad it was one of us. I knew she was hurting, and I knew she'd be okay, as she was slowly coming around.

We watched her for a second as Felix played with Edward's dog tags around my neck. My husband liked them there, so I kept wearing them. My dad and Edward talked quietly, Irina watching them like a tennis match – back and forth between driver's side and passenger.

"Grandpa Charlie," she addressed my dad, fiddling with something in the seat. "Where we goin'?"

Dad chuckled, and Edward grinned, reaching over to tickle her side just to hear her squeak.

"Nowhere, baby girl," Dad told her, kneeling down, but I could see how she made him feel by the smile he was trying to fight.

It was the first time she'd addressed him as Grandpa Charlie, though most of the kids called him that, if not Chief. Irina was still struggling with titles and names, simply because we weren't her blood family, not that she distinguished it that way. The first time Felix had muttered, "Mum-mum-mum," to me, she'd yelled at him, causing him to cry when she told him I wasn't his mom. Freddie, who had just turned eight a few weeks ago, was pretty damn good at distracting her, explaining things in a way that she could understand. It seemed our son was born to be a big brother. It was a daily struggle sometimes, but she was getting better. So her calling my dad Grandpa Charlie was a big step for her.

Dad tugged her pigtail. "Edward and I were checking the radio, that's all."

"Oh." She sighed, nodding a little and looking down at her lap.

"You got someplace you need to be?" Edward teased her, grinning when she smirked up at him and shook her head. "Work? A date? Have you got a date I don't know about?!" he gasped dramatically, and my dad hid his laugh behind his hand.

"No!" she yelled back laughingly, shaking her head vehemently. "I'm not old enough to date, Edward!"

"Darn tootin', you aren't! Oh, well…" He sighed, patting his lap, and she immediately scrambled into it, facing the steering wheel with her back to his chest. "Where'd you wanna go?"

She shook her head but leaned back against him. "I dunno."

Edward seemed to know she was simply looking for contact, a hug, so his strong arm wrapped around her little body as he went back to flipping through the CB again. He'd occasionally drop a kiss to the back of her head.

Angela's chuckle was soft, and I looked over at her. "He's so good with kids."

"'Cause he _is _a kid," I countered with a grin, and she snorted with a nod.

The little gang on the lake let out a big, loud ruckus of laughter, squeals, and cheers. Irina's head shot up from the Hummer to gaze over at the dock, and Edward whispered in her ear. When she nodded at whatever he asked her, my dad stood up, offering her a hand. She looked to Edward, and he nodded, leaning into her kiss on his scruffy cheek before handing her off to my dad to lead her to the lake.

Unable to resist, I hitched Felix higher up on my hip, stepping to the driver's-side door. Edward smiled up at us as he sat casually in the seat.

"Ehd!" Felix grunted, leaning out of my arms for Edward, who immediately took him and sat him on his lap.

Leaning into the Hummer, I dropped a kiss to my husband's lips. "Love you."

He smiled into the kiss, mumbling it back. "What are you guys up to?"

"I was told to come get you," I told him, raking my fingers through his hair as Felix pounded on the steering wheel. "Your dad, Emmett, and Jasper are going over the next run." I sighed, grimacing a little. "This will be…dangerous, Edward. Bigger city and a hospital, for God's sake… I don't know about this one."

Edward frowned but nodded a little. "I know, Shortcake. Believe me, I know. I'm not quite sure what to do about it." He set his lips on the back of Felix's head, but his eyes met mine. "I mean, do I go? Do we _both _go? Do we stay? And now… We have…" He looked down to Felix and then back to me. "These guys… I'm not sure what to do."

"I don't either, baby, but I suppose we should talk about it." I gazed around the lodge property, my eyes taking in everything.

Jasper was walking the fences with Alice, and the two seemed to be plagued with never-ending smiles these days, not to mention kisses that they thought they were secretly sneaking. Randall was helping Sue with the soil boxes he'd built for her. The kids were all still fishing off the deck with my dad, my son reeling in something already. Rose was talking with Maggie, and Emmett joined them.

I turned to Edward. "I'm not sure, Edward. They'll need you, but I don't see taking Freddie this time. It's too much. The hospital alone will probably be a nightmare. Never mind what a larger city will contain. It'll all be overrun."

Edward nodded in agreement the entire time I spoke. "If I go, your dad should stay behind. I can't stop my dad, because he'll have to tell us what we need, and he won't let my mom leave. It'll be more than just a raid. They need all sorts of stuff for their lab work. And then there's the first-aid supplies, too."

"But if you go, this'll be more than a twenty-four-hour run, Edward," I countered, shaking my head. "I don't… What's the right thing?"

He smiled, kissing Felix's head, only to reach up to pull me down to his lips. "There isn't a wrong choice, Shortcake. We'll just have to pick the best one…_for us_. The one we can live with."

"Mum-mum-mum," Felix sang, reaching for me again, and Edward chuckled.

"Here, little traitor," he told the grinning little boy as he handed him to me. "He's stolen my favorite spot." Edward pointed to Felix once the toddler put his head on my chest, his tiny fingers gripping the dog tags again.

"You'll live," I told him, rolling my eyes. "You get just as much time there, Mr. Cullen. Don't even try to deny it."

Edward's grin was naughty, sexy, and all sorts of salacious as he pulled himself up out of the Hummer. "That's true, but…" He paused, dragging a finger across my neck to tug at my shirt. "I'm lucky enough that there are never clothes involved, and somehow, it never seems to be enough, Shortcake."

"Indeed, but hold that really dirty thought for now, Edward," I agreed but chuckled at his crooked smile as he dragged his tongue along his bottom lip. "C'mon. Let's figure this scouting trip out."

**~oOo~**

"Absolutely not!" Sue stated with a glare toward her son. "In fact, you're out of this whole meeting. Go!"

Seth looked to my dad with a pleading gaze. "C'mon, Charlie… Tell her I can handle it!"

Dad held up a hand in a gesture I knew all too well; the subject was closed. "Um, don't even go there, son. If yourmother says no, then no. I'm not fighting her on this one. This will be a touchy trip. I'll need you here for hunting, anyway." He met Edward's gaze. "As a matter of fact, I'd prefer all of the kids staying back on this one, except for Quinn. You said you were taking responsibility for him."

Edward nodded at him as he sat forward, leaning his elbows on his knees. His eyes, though, were on the map we'd tacked to the wall of the conference room at the end of the hall in the lobby. Marked on the map with bright-red circles were all the hospitals, clinics, and medical centers, including a vet clinic or two. Then there was the big blue circle – the radio station that seemed to still be broadcasting an emergency message over and over.

The conference room door opened and slammed closed as Seth left angrily.

My dad smirked but shook his head. "He'll get over it. I'll put him in charge of the fences or something."

Carlisle chuckled, standing up. "Here's the thing, Charlie. This trip isn't an emergency. We could salvage from closer places, backtrack toward Forks, or make do with what we have. The only things we could really use are antibiotics and some first-aid supplies – if only to replenish what we used this winter. Again, not an emergency but useful. _If we go_…" He leaned on those words, looking to Edward before continuing. "If we go, then I'd like to use the opportunity to bring back supplies for Esme's research – equipment, too."

My dad sighed, running his hand over his mustache. "You say not an emergency, but…what if someone gets hurt or another bout of flu comes through the camp? How are we on being able to take care of infections?"

"Touchy," Carlisle stated firmly. "Manageable, but touchy."

"Then it _is_ a necessity. Not an emergency, but a necessity."

"Splitting us up, sending a group into a larger city is going to be dangerous," Randall added in his deep tenor from the corner of the room. "I mean, I get that you're considering sending a small group, that they're quite capable at fighting and defense, but if they're going, then use it to every advantage. The kids need clothes, we could use some more seeds for the garden in the greenhouse, and we're running low on fuel, candles, and oil. Let's make this count…maybe for the last time."

"Which means, we have to drive around Lake Crescent," Edward finally spoke up, standing from his chair beside mine. He walked to the map, tapping it lightly with a finger. "We need to be able to load and carry a lot of shit, move quickly, but also be able to push stranded cars out of the way, so we'd need a truck…probably mine, since it'll hold everyone." He faced the room, specifically meeting my gaze. "The population of Port Angeles is barely twenty thousand. Seattle is well over a half-million. That being said, there's no comparison. PA is closer, smaller, and there's not a chance in hell I'm going anywhere near Seattle. On the way here, we saw Portland, and it was a fucking nightmare. Seattle will be the same, if not worse."

Edward turned to his dad, saying, "I know Seattle has the bigger hospitals, but I'm not risking the lives of five people for amoxicillin and Band-Aids."

Carlisle smirked, snorting softly as he shook his head. "It's more than that, but you're right. And it's six lives. Yours included, sport. We'll treat this like a military mission. We'll move quickly, together, and if we run into trouble, we call it off. Simple."

I sighed deeply at the word "simple," but I stayed quiet. While Carlisle felt more comfortable taking the more military-minded people with him – just about the same people he'd crossed the country with – this scouting trip would be dangerous. Like Edward had pointed out, Port Angeles wasn't a big city, but it was bigger than anything around us. The hospitals alone would be riddled with zekes – people who had turned while sick, not to mention the staff taking care of them. There was also the fear of survivors. We were all wary of the living more than the dead, which was sad to say but the truth all the same. There was no telling who or what they'd encounter.

However, Randall had a point. The kids did need clothes. Felix, Zoe, Freddie, and Irina grew every damn day, it seemed. Poor Seth had shot up a few inches just over the winter, so all his pants were starting to fit too tight or too short. They were outgrowing what they'd worn before. Their shoes alone were hard to come by for them. And he was right about the seeds, too. Now that spring was well under way, we needed to plan, plant, and store food for the next winter so that we wouldn't struggle so hard. It was a long-term necessity.

Esme, on the other hand, needed things that couldn't be found anywhere but a medical facility. She had plenty of information to work with, but it was only theories and notes on paper so far. She didn't have the equipment to physically work with the virus. She wanted to be able to mix chemicals, adjust the virus, and add to it, simply to test it on human blood and cells. She was hoping it would work like the flu shot, but she'd only come so far without the ability to actually manufacture it.

Looking around the room, I noted who was going – Carlisle, Emmett, Rose, Quinn, Jasper, and, of course…Edward. It was the strongest team I could imagine going, but I wasn't happy about it. And from the look on Alice's face, she wasn't pleased either. In fact, both of us had argued fervently that the team should be bigger, that maybe we should wait or not go at all, but it was for nothing, because the reality was we needed one last detailed scouting trip. If done correctly, we could possibly stop scouting altogether.

The chickens, rabbits, and the occasional deer provided us with plenty of meat, not to mention the fish caught in the lake. The goats alone had given us milk, cheese, and butter. The greenhouse was looking fantastic, but with a few more vegetables planted, we wouldn't need to scrounge around for canned stuff anymore. And finally there was Esme's work. _If_ she could come up with something to stop, prevent, or guard the living against the dead, then providing her with what she needed was simply the right thing to do.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Edward appeared before me, kneeling down with a worried expression on his handsome face. I was already shaking my head at him.

"Shortcake…"

"You're taking Sasha." My tone was pleading but firm. "Don't argue – don't even open your mouth, Edward. If you won't take another person, then you'll take her." I heard my dad snort into a chuckle, but there wasn't much humor behind it. "I'm not kidding."

The dog in question heard her name, and her head popped up from where she'd been snoozing on the floor by the window.

I raised an eyebrow at Edward, who was studying my face with a touch of fear and worry. I could practically read his mind. We'd done our damnedest to stay together, not separating for more than twenty-four hours at a time, but this would take days. This would split us up, bringing doubts and worry and fear right back. And I knew him well enough to know that he'd swear to God, on a stack of Bibles, and on his own soul that he'd come back to us, if only because his family was bigger now. And that was the reason I couldn't go. I couldn't leave my son behind, and I wasn't letting Freddie go with this dad. But there were two more little ones to take care of now. Irina and Felix needed me, needed one of us to stay behind, stay steady in their lives, though Irina was going to be a mess when Edward left.

I knew for a fact that if I forced my hand, Edward would stay, but I couldn't do it. I knew they needed him. And I also knew he'd go crazy worrying about them while they were gone, and if they didn't return or someone got hurt or even killed, he'd blame himself the rest of his life – although whether that would be worse or better if he were there and unable to prevent it, I wasn't sure.

"Please," I whispered to him.

Finally, his shoulders sagged a little. "Okay…fine. We'll take Sasha."

Sasha got up, shaking herself all over, and yawned widely, only to come plop her butt down next to him, which made him smile and pet her head.

"Easy, big girl," he told her. "Not yet." He turned back to me. "If we do this right, we won't have to go again. We'll have enough to—"

"I know," I interrupted him, cupping his face. "No, I get it. One last trip. And it's the best course of action, but I don't have to like it. We'll be okay here, but…" I shook my head, letting out a deep breath again, but I didn't finish that thought.

Edward nodded, standing up in front of me, but he dropped a long, hard kiss to my forehead. When he faced his dad, he stated, "We'll have a plan for every fucking scenario we can think of, and only when we're all on the same damn page will we head out. I also want those staying here to have some sort of idea which way we're taking."

Emmett stood up. "I agree. We'll plot out two maps with an estimated timeline."

My dad nodded. "I like it. We'll plan today and tomorrow. You'll head out the next morning."

**~oOo~**

**EDWARD**

_**Port Angeles, Washington**_

"Welcome to Olympic Memorial Hospital," Emmett muttered under his breath as I pulled the truck to a stop.

We were all quiet as we took in the rather large building. What once would've been a thirty-minute drive took us four days. Four fucking days of fighting zekes, scrounging for gas, camping in the middle of the street, towing cars, and raiding everything we saw along the way.

We'd stripped the Humane Society of everything it had left, including pet food and medicines. Sadly, there were animals that had been trapped. The place was a mess. Actually, everywhere was a fucking mess, with zekes trapped in stores and homes or wandering down the 101. We'd raided several stores of what clothes we could shove into duffels and boxes. We even cleared out a hardware store – one of those big-ass chain stores – for all the seeds we could get our hands on. Luckily, we'd brought the trailer. We'd just left a small clinic, and this was the last stop before we started the journey back home.

The thought of home made me clench my teeth and crack my knuckles on the steering wheel. It had been harder to leave than ever before. I'd done my best to keep my family together once we'd finally reunited after almost six long months apart. I'd never left my wife and son for more than a day, but now it would be pushing a week before I'd get back.

Freddie had been pissed, looking just like me as he told me that he should go, but I needed him with his mother. I made him swear to take care of her, of Irina and Felix. Irina had been the one who almost stopped my going. She'd been in hysterics. Her attachment to me had grown by leaps and bounds since Carmen had died. She loved Bella, but it was me she'd come to, and to see her lose it when we were loading up the truck, attaching the trailer, and packing up ammo was almost too much. Her mother had left and not come back, so I knew that she'd think the same of me…and I was taking Grandpa Carlisle and Sasha with me. She hadn't been hearing reason when I held her for the last few minutes.

Bella had been…resigned at my leaving. She didn't want it, though she knew it was necessary. It was a means to an end. This trip would be the last of the raids, the scouting trips to salvage temporary supplies. I'd barely slept the night before we left, simply because I'd been unable to stop myself from taking my wife over and over; I'd wanted to drown in her touch, her smell, her sweet, sexy giggles at my touch. I'd needed it more than sleep. Fuck, I'd needed it more than air. However, as the sun came up, the giggles turned into tears, of whispered fears and endless professions of love, and when I tried to promise her that I'd come home, she wouldn't have it. She'd kissed me stupid before I'd even finished the sentence and simply told me that I needed to swear to be careful. That's it, nothing more.

My eyes caught movement on the sidewalk, snapping back to reality at the sound of Jasper's voice.

"We got company," he stated as I pulled the truck underneath the awning of the hospital.

"Boof," Sasha added, making Rose reach over and scratch her head with a smile.

It was Emmett I was keeping an eye on. We'd specifically taken the exit from the 101 into his parents' neighborhood, but it was a warzone. Some houses were burned down to the foundations, some were broken into, and the one we were looking for was empty. We'd found evidence of a struggle, possibly someone turning, but the doors were wide open and the first-floor windows had been busted. The fact that their car was still in the garage and the cabinets were still stocked, not to mention clothes were still hanging in closets, only told us the one thing we'd feared for Emmett – his parents were no longer alive. At least, they weren't human anymore. The big guy had never been close to them, opting to spend most of his leave time with my family, but I could see a touch of guilt, along with a stony-faced resolve. He'd say no more about it, but he'd harbor it for a long time, I was sure. And Rose was watching him just as closely as I was, so I knew he'd be okay.

Looking into the rearview mirror, I asked my dad, "How you wanna do this? Do you know the layout of this place?" I gazed up at the building in front of me, shaking my head. "We've got movement in the upper windows. We've got a construction tube from the third floor down to a Dumpster. And we've got several sections to clear in order to get everything you're wanting, so…talk to me, Dad."

"Construction tube?" he asked, leaning out the window of the truck. He settled back into his seat, letting out a deep breath. "We could send some things down the chute…" He was thinking out loud, but I could see we needed someone to stay with the truck and trailer.

"I'll stay out here," Quinn volunteered. "You whistle from that window when you're sending something down. I'll fish it out and load it up. If I get company, I'll duck inside the front doors…or the Dumpster or some shit. If it's a straggler or two, I'll deal with it."

"Fair enough," Dad agreed with a nod. "Then I think we'd be quicker to split into groups. Once we're inside, I'll tell you what to look for and what ward you need to find."

The unmistakable sound of grunts, growls, and dragging feet met our ears, and I sighed wearily, shutting off the engine and opening my door. "C'mon. We'll clear these assholes and get this shit done. I don't want to stay here any longer than we have to."

It took us a few minutes to eradicate the small herd of zekes wandering up the street. It left Quinn alone and safer when we finally left him outside and made our way into the front doors of the hospital.

One glance around the lobby, and I groaned, gripping my hair. "This is gonna…_really suck_."

Emmett snorted, smacking my shoulder with the back of his hand before pulling out his sword, because the place was straight out of a horror movie. "Indeed, Ed. So…you take Sasha, and Dad and Jasper can stick together. Rosie and I will hit the lab. You hit the pharmacy, and Dad can hunt down the equipment he needs."

We all turned to my dad, who was nodding as he pulled out his knife. He pointed to me. "Second floor, son. Jasper, we're heading for the south end, third floor. Rose, Emmett… You're looking for the fourth floor, this end of the building."

We all armed ourselves, opting for quiet weapons, though we were all strapped down with automatic rifles, handguns, and shotguns. The crossbows, swords, and knives tended to make the job easier, without pulling more in with noise.

Sasha and I separated from everyone when we reached the second floor. Pressing my ear to the stairwell door, I glanced to Sasha, who was alert, twitchy, and flashing her teeth.

"If you say so, big girl," I sighed to her, slowly and carefully opening the door.

The entire corridor was a walking, growling mess. I saw zekes in scrubs, hospital gowns, and street clothes. They were subdued until the two of us stepped out of the stairwell, and then they rounded on us almost in one swift motion.

"Sasha, on me," I commanded, simply because the area was too tight for her to try to round them up. She'd get trapped.

The path to the left was clearer than the path to the right, so I readied the crossbow, nailing the closest zeke, only to snatch the arrow back out of his head and slam it into the zeke behind him. I heard the ones coming behind us, but I kept moving forward, eliminating all the bastards in my way.

There was a sign at the end of the hallway, the pharmacy arrow pointing to the right, so I took it. We just kept moving until I found the door I wanted, and the fucker was locked.

"So much for quiet," I stated, pulling out my .45 and aiming at the lock. The gunfire was loud after trying to keep silent, but I pushed the door open, waiting for Sasha to dart in before pushing a desk in front of it to keep the dead out until I could empty the shelves.

The duffel I'd been given was huge – like football-equipment huge, which I assumed it was. It reminded me of the bag I'd carried in high school with my pads and uniform. Dropping it to the top of the desk, I started at one end of the room filled with shelves. Despite the locked door, some of the stock was depleted, but I didn't stop long enough to count. I had a list of meds that my parents wanted, not to mention a few requests. Pain meds, cough syrups, bags of IV fluids, alcohol, peroxide, iodine, and antibiotics were top of the list, and then there were things I had no idea about – powders and chemicals my mother needed. Lastly, I hit the birth-control shelves. I took it all. Bella wasn't the only one worried about pregnancy back at the lodge. Alice, Rose, and Charlotte had all asked for something…anything. There were vials with liquids that my mother said would work, not to mention endless packs of thirty pills that I'd recognize anywhere. All of it was still on the shelf.

I snorted, shaking my head as I grabbed boxes of syringes, gauze pads, and rolls of medical tape. "Damn, Sasha… I see once again that safe sex is _not_ an issue in this new fucked-up world."

Sasha sat down at the end of the aisle, her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth as she watched me, which made me grin. But my smile fell when the desk suddenly jumped forward an inch or two. Sasha spun around, her growl low, forceful, but I shoved the desk back, going back to the work at hand, only moving a hell of a lot quicker.

"We may be trapped in this room, big girl," I told her, dumping another armload of shit into the bag. I made one more trek up and down the shelves, making sure I'd gotten everything we could put to use and then some, only to eye the exit as the pounding of hands and scratching of nails continued nonstop. "Maybe," I mumbled, eyeing the door, the desk, and the ceiling tiles, but then my gaze fell back to Sasha. "No, that won't work…unless…" I dragged the word out as I thought it through.

The desk shifted again, making the dog jump back and let out a soft, "Boof."

"Sasha, stay!" I snapped, once again pushing the desk back, taking a few greenish colored fingers with it. "Don't move!" I told her, jumping up on the desk and punching my way into the ceiling.

Using the wall that separated the room from the corridor, I pulled myself up into the ceiling. My weight would destroy the flimsy ceiling tiles, but the walls would hold me. I shifted a few out of the way on the other side to see how big the group of dead assholes was outside the pharmacy door.

"Ten…twelve…fifteen. Hmm," I huffed, rolling my eyes, but I pulled my rifle around to aim at their heads from my vantage point. The silencer on the end kept the noise down, so I took them all out, only to slip back down into the pharmacy and shove the desk back, opening the door. "Much better, big girl. Now we stand a fucking chance."

With a grunt, I pulled the now full duffel bag across my shoulder and stepped out into the hallway. There were a few zekes shuffling our way, but one was crawling, the other seemed strapped to a wheelchair, and the other one couldn't seem to find his way out of the damn nurse's station.

I looked to Sasha, who was eyeing them with a tilted head, and snorted a little. "Third floor, right, big girl?"

"Yes," I heard behind me, and my weapon was engaged and pointing at my dad's highly amused face before my brain caught up.

"Fuck, Dad!" I exclaimed, leaning back against the wall. "Way to scare the shit outta me. I almost shot your sneaky ass."

He grinned, gripping my shoulder. "Sorry."

"No, you're not."

"Nah, not really… But thanks for not pulling the trigger."

"I still might," I warned him in jest, and he grinned again. "Did you find everything you need? Where's Jazz?"

He nodded, leading us back down the hallway to the stairs. "I've already sent it all down to Quinn. He had a few more zekes heading up the street, so I also sent Jasper down to cover him."

"All right." I nodded, and we continued up to the third floor.

Suddenly, he turned to me, placing a hand on my shoulder before we could step all the way out. The humor from his face was gone, and he shook his head slowly. "Son, I'm warning you now… _Do not_ look in these rooms. Don't even glance through the fucking windows."

"Why? Where the hell are w-we?" I looked up at the sign on the wall to see we were in the pediatric ward. "Oh fuck me… How…"

"Oh, it's bad," he murmured darkly. "It'll take me lifetimes to get the memory out of my head. So no matter what you hear, just…ignore it."

"Copy that," I sighed, keeping my eyes in front of us or on Sasha as we worked our way down the hall. I focused on Dad's back or the floor, but the growls – higher-pitched and eerie – coming from either side of us were…disturbing. I hadn't seen a turned child in a long damn time, and I had no desire to see them now. It only made my worry for my family ratchet up a notch or two on the panic scale. "Jesus Christ… I really just wanna go home."

"No shit, son," he replied, shoving open a door at the end of the hall. The window was missing, and the construction around us looked like they were renovating a waiting area or break room, but Dad stepped up to the window next to it, sending a shrill whistle down to the sidewalk below.

Quinn rushed to the Dumpster, whistling back, and I lifted the duffel off my shoulder and sent it down through the chute. Dad and I leaned out the open window as Quinn fished the bag out of the Dumpster, running back toward the front awning where we'd left the truck and trailer.

Shuffling of feet behind us made us both spin around, but it was Rose and Emmett. There was blood staining the front of Rose's jeans on her thigh, and she was limping.

"She's fine!" Emmett snapped, giving her a rare, impatient glance.

Rose rolled her eyes. "It's not a bite, I swear. I ran into trouble in the lab. Two bastards snuck up on me, and one of them shoved me into one of the tables. There was a sharp corner. It's a cut. Nothing more."

"'Cause you didn't fucking listen," Emmett muttered, shaking his head, but he turned to my dad. "Could ya at least check it?"

Dad grinned, kneeling in front of Rose. Carefully, he tore the denim a little, eyeing the wound. He pulled his pack around and reached in for a bandage. Pressing on it a little, he was able to see the damage.

"You're gonna be fine. The bleeding has slowed down already. And I can't see that you'll need stitches unless you want them to keep the scar down. I can clean it and patch it up once we're on the road."

"Fine! Perfect!" Rose sighed, throwing her hands up in surrender. "Just tell him I'm not dying, yeah?"

I barked a light laugh, smacking Emmett's shoulder and giving Rose a fist bump. "She'll live to give you a shit-ton of hell tomorrow. And the next day…" I rounded on my dad. "Speaking of women giving us shit… Can we get back to mine now? Have we covered all the bases, gotten every bit of equipment, and finished every fucking list? I'm over it. I'm done. This town is empty, it seems, of all surviving life."

Emmett and Rose were nodding in agreement, and my dad nodded, pulling out the notebook he'd brought with notes and lists. He was still nodding slowly when Jasper called up.

"We got company! And I'm pretty sure these dead bastards haven't learned to drive!"

We all froze for a heartbeat or two and then rushed to the window. Using my rifle scope, I followed the direction Jasper was pointing. It was straight up the street that I caught the movement. It took a moment to realize what I was seeing.

"Oh, fuck me. I spoke too soon. We have company, all right. I've got military-style vehicles moving up the street. Hummers, transport trucks, ATVs with heavy artillery on top…" I pulled the scope away from my face and saw that Emmett was looking as well.

When he pulled back, he was shaking his head. "I say we haul ass. There's no telling if that's true military or some sort of crazy survivalist bullshit. Either way, I don't wanna know. Technically, I'm retired Army, dude; I don't want nothin' to do with it."

"I hear ya," I sighed, pointing toward the chute. "Slide down. I'll have to take the stairs with Sasha."

"No, you don't," Dad said, patting the window ledge. "Get up here, I'll set her on your shoulders. Let's move!"

Emmett called down to Jasper and Quinn, and both shifted into action on the ground, pulling the chute out of the dumpster and angling it to the sidewalk so it was more like a slide. I sent down my crossbow and rifle, steadying myself when a disgruntled Sasha was draped around my shoulders.

"Hang in there, big girl," I soothed her, holding her paws with one hand and guiding myself slowly down the chute.

When my feet touched down, Jasper helped me lift her up and off. "Give her here, Edward," he said, casting glances up the street, but we were clear so far.

Rose was right behind me, followed closely by Emmett's weapons and then Emmett himself. Dad was the last to land, and then we ran toward the truck.

"Move, move, move," I ordered, tugging open the driver's-side door. "They were about seven blocks away, with that blocked-up intersection that'll slow them down, so we'll take a few streets over to avoid them."

"Everything's strapped down in the back and in the trailer, Edward, so punch it," Quinn told me, crawling into the middle part of the backseat.

"I'm gonna take the bed of the truck. I'll clear your way if we run into trouble," Jasper stated, standing up just behind the back window.

"Perfect," I stated, starting the engine and peeling out of the circle entrance of the hospital. Instead of taking the way we'd come in, I headed west, going over two streets before aiming for the 101 again.

Rose and Emmett slipped the sliding window open so they could communicate with Jasper, who'd pounded on the top of the truck.

"Slow down!" he yelled. "Let them pass by going the other way, and then you can take off."

Slamming on the brakes, I came to a standstill just inside the view of a cross-street. The military caravan was way bigger than I'd seen through the scope. There were more Humvees than just the one leading, not to mention two more armored ATVs with machine guns up top. What I noted even more than anything was the people. All dressed in camo, all with ridged posture, some even jogging alongside the vehicles. The sound of short bursts of rapid fire met my ears, even with the several-block distance as they cleared their way.

"Oh, my hell…they are military." I turned to Dad. "What'cha think? Fort Warner? Or Fort Lewis?"

Dad scoffed, shaking his head. "Could be the Naval base, too, son," he added, shrugging a shoulder. "But I'm with Emmett on this one. We've got our own _base_," he said, leaning on the last word. "Personally, if we're going to run into them, it better be on our turf." He glanced down the cross-street again. "You're clear to move. Go."

I pressed the gas, winding my way back to the 101. We'd cleared a path all the way here, and I wanted to take it back. Going home would be clearer, easier than clawing our way in. My hope was that we'd be home by dark.

**~oOo~**

_**Lake Crescent, Washington**_

"Edward, let me help you put them to bed," Bella whispered, but amusement was all over that beautiful face of hers.

I was covered in kids. Freddie was leaning on my right shoulder, Irina was on my left, and Felix was crashed out sprawled across my chest. I'd been back for a few hours – just long enough to be tackled by my family, unload the truck and trailer, shower, and eat. And now we were up in our suite, just the five of us – six with the slightly snoring Sasha on the floor.

"No," I argued softly, shaking my head. "Leave 'em. Just for a few minutes."

Her giggle was soft and sweet, and she leaned down to drop a kiss to my lips. "Well, at least let me take Felix. It's those two who had the hardest time." She gestured to Irina and Freddie.

Nodding, I dropped a kiss to the top of his head, and she lifted him carefully off me. I wrapped my arms around the other two, staring into the fire as the cold rain poured down outside. I could hear voices outside as some protected the fences, but it was a minimal-sized herd of zekes. In fact, it was the first trouble they'd had since we left.

Bella returned from the kids' room, leaving a lantern just outside the door as usual. She leaned over and kissed me again.

"How hard?" I asked softly against her lips, my brow wrinkling.

"Oh, pretty rough. These two fought like feral cats from the second you pulled out. She had nightmares. Freddie became…bossy." She grinned, shaking her head. "Said you left him in charge."

My chuckle shook both kids, but they barely stirred. "Sorry, Shortcake. I needed to…"

"Give him focus, yes. I get it."

She sat down on the ottoman in front of me, and I set my feet on either side of her, pulling her close. She wrapped her arms around one of my knees, setting her chin on top.

"What'd they fight about?" I asked her, running my fingers through my son's hair.

"Everything," she stated, shrugging a shoulder. "Little stuff, big stuff, all the stuff in between. He tried to tell her you'd come back. She told him to shut up. Then it was toys and games and food and bedtime." She sighed, shaking her head a little as she wore the sweetest smile.

"Did they give you trouble?"

She was shaking her head before I even finished the question. "Nah, but her nightmares woke the boys up the first night, so I kept her with me in our bed." Her lips pressed to my kneecap, and then she spoke again. "Late at night, she'd ask for stories about you, so I told her some. Then she asked about how we met, about Freddie, and she asked about her mom. She wanted to know if Carmen really made us promise to take care of her and her brother, and I told her yes. It was your son who explained it to her. He told her all about what a promise means."

Smiling, I shook my head.

"He also read your poem to her, Edward," she whispered, tears welling up a little, but she pointed to the little table by the couch, where Freddie's scrapbook was open to the Longfellow poem. "Sweetest thing I've ever seen, I swear…or maybe I needed to hear it, too. I don't know."

"Did it help?"

"Yeah." She nodded against my knee. "All of us, actually. She… She stopped yelling at Felix for calling me mom. She calmed down a little but asked if she could sleep with me until you came home." She swiped at her tears, and my hands itched to do it for her, but she rubbed my leg. "_Until_, Edward. She changed from expecting the worst to believing you'd be back. It was…good. And when you showed up this afternoon, she was…so damn happy, especially when you picked her up and swung her around. Oh, and your son simply smiled at her and said, 'I told you Dad would be back.'"

Sighing deeply into Irina's sweet-smelling hair, I met my wife's gaze. "Last scouting trip, Shortcake," I told her. "We don't need to go out anymore. We brought back everything my mother needs to work with, we have enough seeds to plant our own vegetables, and we have plenty of meat, even without hunting or fishing."

"Oh yeah, and Alice wants a cow. A few of them, actually. Where she'll find one, I have no idea, but still…"

I laughed softly. "Oh, there's probably some wandering around somewhere. If not, we can go back to Yellowstone for a bison or two."

"Uhh, no."

Grinning, I nodded. "Okay, then. Alice will have to live without cows."

Bella giggled a little, but it faded quickly. "And those military vehicles you saw? What about them?"

I sniffed a little, shaking my head. "I don't know, baby. If the military is regrouping, that may show a sign of things improving. If that's the case, then that's a good thing. It gives hope for the future. It gives hope that things everywhere are starting to get better, that the surviving people are starting to come back. It's a long road, but…it's _their_ road. We've got our own worries – our people, our place, our survival. Like Emmett said, 'I'm retired Army now.' The only thing that won't last is our ammo, but…what can we do?" I asked, shrugging a shoulder. "We'll either start rationing it or stop using it altogether. Jasper has considered building bows and arrows for everyone to learn or finding them in sporting stores. He'll turn them all into Robin Hood. Freddie will love it."

Bella's eyes were warm, sweet, and such a sight for sore eyes. She nodded, seeming to relax a little at my explanation, but we fell quiet for a moment. Her hand ran up and down my leg slowly, but it was a comfortable, easy feeling. When Sasha snored a little from her spot by the fireplace, I shook my leg gently to get Bella's attention.

When she met my gaze, I smiled a little. "C'mon, Shortcake... We'll tuck them in."

Bella stood up, reaching for Freddie. He mumbled sleepily, gripping my T-shirt, but finally relented enough for her to scoop him up and carry him. Irina was out like a light and light as a feather as I carried her to bed. Though, both kids stirred a little when they were set on cool sheets.

I kissed them both, leaving Bella to do the same. I checked the fireplace, making sure it was dying down, even though the rain outside sounded like it would last through the night. When I turned around, Freddie's scrapbook caught my eye. I walked to it, skimming over the poem I knew so well. As always, it was the last part that resonated with me.

"_Be still, sad heart! And cease repining;__  
><em>_Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;__  
><em>_Thy fate is the common fate of all,__  
><em>_Into each life some rain must fall,__  
><em>_Some days must be dark and dreary."_

"Edward?" Bella asked softly, and I pulled her to me, wrapping my arms around her waist. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I sighed deeply into her hair. "I was just reading that poem. It always… I always made sure to keep it in my head, even in the harder times. I just… I guess it means more now."

She smiled against the skin of my neck, whispering, "I'm sure."

"It does. We've seen some really ugly shit in the last year, and we came through the other side unscathed, if not richer. I'm just…grateful, I guess. I feel like…_now_ I can…" I fumbled for the right words, but she pulled back to look at my face.

"Relax?" she offered.

"Breathe," I finally finished. "I feel like I can finally breathe, like for the first time since I woke up in Florida, Bella. I've been so focused on survival and safety and you guys and this place. Even if my mom doesn't find a vaccine or whatever, I can at least breathe easy that my family is safe, fed, and they have a roof over their head."

Bella smiled softly, pulling away from me but taking me by the hand. She led me into the bedroom, where she proceeded to dress for bed, and I followed her lead.

"I missed you…here," she said, getting into bed and holding the covers up for me to slip in beside her.

Wrapping an arm around her, I pulled her to me, our legs tangling together. "I missed being _here_. I'm sorry it took so long."

She smiled sweetly before kissing me. "You're here. You're safe. That's all I care about. Late is fine, as long as you arrive."

Chuckling at her, I kissed her silly. She was repeating the words she always said to me when I'd apologize for being late. The last time was the day I'd finally shown up at the cabins in Blackwood Lake.

But it was the day we'd been looking at our house in Forks that came to mind. God, I'd had such plans for that place. Bella had been beautifully pregnant with Freddie, and our goal had been to have a big family. Now we did. Bella and I loved Irina and Felix as much as we loved our own son, and we'd continue to love them all, and if one day we felt safe enough to add to it, our love would simply expand.

It was that thought that had me rolling my wife onto her back and looming over her. She fought her smile for a split second but broke out into the sweet, soft laugh I lived to hear.

"Well, I'll make it up to you, Shortcake," I whispered, leaning down to brush a kiss across her throat, up her chin, and finally on her lips.

She laughed again, shaking us both. "You'd better."

Grinning down at her, I brushed her hair from her beautiful face, the face I'd known I wanted to look at the rest of my life from the second I'd met her in Shelly's Bar that night in Forks. We'd been through so much even before the virus, and she'd been my rock, the mother to my son, and now mother to two more who meant the world to us. As I gazed down at her, I sighed deeply in want and love and just…awe of what we'd accomplished – apart and together. I realized that I'd do it all again – every mile, every fight, every setback – if it meant I'd end up right where I was at that moment. I'd do anything for her.

I kissed her lightly, pressing my forehead to hers. "I will, Bella. I promise."

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… Technically, that's the end, though the epi is coming. I wanted to leave them in a good place, a place where there was hope for the future instead of constant fighting and death. This is a new world, with new struggles, but they've come so damn far that I feel they'll only prosper from here. I know the big question is whether or not Esme figures out a vaccine/immunization, and trust me, I haven't forgotten. **

**I'll leave all my thank yous for the very last chapter, but I still wanted to thank all of you for coming on this ride with me. It means so much.**

**Like I said up top, as I'm writing this, the epi is about half written, and my hope is to be done by Sunday. If RL trips me up or the words just won't come, I'll post it as soon as it's finished. Okay? :) Until then… Mooches, Deb ;)**


	23. Chapter 22 - Epilogue

**A/N… My apologies for being late on this, but RL held me up, not to mention this is a doozy of a chapter. **

**I'll let you get to it, but note the jumps in time. See me at the bottom for all my thank yous. **

**~oooRMFooo~**

**Chapter 22 – Epilogue **

**BELLA**

_**Lake Crescent, Washington**_

_Two years after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

"That's some _Mad Max_ shit right there," Angela muttered, shaking her head at my soft chuckle. Her eyes were narrowed on the rather tense conversation that we couldn't quite hear from the lodge's front porch steps.

Carlisle had just returned, and his posture was casual, relaxed, but Edward, Emmett, and my dad were rigid in front of the large group on the other side of the fence. Soldiers…about a dozen of them. A military Humvee, in all its camo glory, was parked right in front of the lodge gate, but leading the way was a truck that had been…altered. Welded to the front of it were two large steel plates that swooped down to a point, almost like the front of an old train engine. The truck was essentially a clearing machine. Not only could it shove zekes out of the way with no effort at all, but it could push cars and debris off to the side of the road.

The troop at the gate was the same one that Edward had seen in Port Angeles a year prior. It had taken them several months, but they'd eventually gotten around to Lake Crescent. When they'd stumbled upon us, it had been a strange experience.

Edward and Emmett knew them – or at least, some of them – as did Carlisle and Esme. They were from the naval base not far from Seattle. The man in charge was General Santiago. He was originally from Fort Warner, the same base Edward and Emmett had been stationed.

At first, Santiago had been shocked at not only how secure the lodge was but just how many of us there were and how well we were doing. Once he'd realized that there were former military on site, he'd tried to recruit them. Edward had said no, and Emmett had told the general to go fuck himself. And that had almost started a huge fight with Santiago's men…and women.

Carlisle had stepped in, explaining in a calm manner than no one was going anywhere. He offered them a place to camp for the night and a hot meal, but he'd told them that we'd all been there for over a year and a half, and no one was leaving.

Once Santiago had heard Carlisle's story, where'd he'd been when the virus took hold, and what he and Esme had been doing, the general had been in awe. He'd explained that the naval base had been able to transfer files concerning the virus just before all communications had gone down. He had another doctor – a scientist by the name of Alec Hart – who'd been doing his own work.

That had begun a tentative relationship. We had a hard time trusting someone outside our iron gates. Santiago, however, had information and ammo, for which he traded for various things – eggs, chickens, and fresh vegetables were the most wanted, but it was Esme's research that was the key.

"Mark my words," I muttered, narrowing my eyes on Santiago. "One day, they're gonna wanna take Esme to their lab. They won't be satisfied with taking Carlisle for a day or two."

"Well, they can wish in one hand and sh—"

"Jasper!" I chastised him with a laugh, pointing toward the end of the porch where Felix was playing with his toys.

"My bad, Bells," he said with his laidback grin as he stepped down to the grass. "That kid's so quiet…"

I smiled and glanced over at the little boy I loved as my own as he and one-year-old Baby Zoe played together. He wasn't a baby anymore. He was almost three, and he was a very quiet, shy little guy. He was the opposite of his sister, who was chatty and bold and silly. And they both followed Freddie around like shadows.

Freddie, who was now nine, considered them his brother and sister. He watched over them like a hawk but teased them relentlessly, too. My son had grown so much in the last year, it was hard to keep up, but he'd also become mellow and calm, so much like Edward that it was almost scary. On the one hand, he was a happy, laidback little boy who still loved to fish and hunt and play football with Seth and Quinn. On the other hand, he was fiercely protective and the first to take action when a pack of zekes would come through, though it had been a month or so since the last one. More than one time, Jasper had said that Freddie was a lot like how he remembered Edward when he'd first moved in with him and his parents when he was a teen.

Looking out across the front lawn, I watched my son stand by his dad's side as they all talked to Santiago. They were both armed, though their crossbows were slung across their backs. Freddie had abandoned his old .22 rifle the last summer when ammo started to become an issue. Jasper, Emmett, and Edward had taken another run, only this time, it was back to Forks, and they'd raided the old Newton Sporting Goods store. They'd brought back compound bows, crossbows, and more arrows than I could count. And they'd also said that not only had Santiago cleared a path down both sides of the 101 but that Forks was a ghost town. Nothing alive was left, just like it had been when Edward had come through on his way to Blackwood Lake.

That thought made me shiver. The long, six-month separation from Edward seemed like forever ago, but the memories of what might have been made me want to run to my husband, wrap myself around him, and never let him out of my sight again, though it was a ridiculous notion now. We rarely were apart anymore, and if we were, it was only for a day or two. The longest had been the last trek into Port Angeles the year before.

Some things had improved after they'd returned. The greenhouse was now exploding with fruits and vegetables. The windmills and solar panels gave us refrigeration and hot water, not to mention cooking indoors. We still hunted the Olympic woods for deer and wild turkey, we also still fished the lake, but the main source of our nourishment were the chickens, rabbits, and goats that Alice had saved. Food was no longer an issue.

The past year, however, had not been without hardship. We'd lost two more of our own. Maggie had fallen ill just last fall, and she didn't make it through the winter. According to Carlisle, it had been cancer – something that she'd probably had way before the virus had taken over the world – and without modern healthcare and routine checkups, there was no way of knowing that she'd been sick. Before she died, she'd told Carlisle and Esme to use her body for research.

The other casualty was Charlotte. We'd lost her to a zeke attack. She'd been out by the animal stalls to milk the goats and grab some eggs when a zeke had grabbed her through the fence. There had been no chance to get to her in time. Peter was now a single father to Zoe, though we all helped him when he needed it. He buried his grief over his wife into loving and raising their little girl as best he could, but my heart hurt for him all the same.

The revving of engines caught my attention, and the soldiers loaded back up into their trucks, except for one young man who was walking with Edward and Carlisle. He wasn't in the usual cargos and boots but rather jeans and a plaid button-down with a white T-shirt underneath. He was, however, carrying a military-sized duffel and wearing a nervous expression on his face as he walked toward us.

"Jasper, Bella, Angela… This is Dr. Alec Hart," Carlisle introduced after we'd hugged him. "He's going to stay with us for a bit."

Smirking, I shot a glance to Edward, who had his strong arms folded across his chest. I had a feeling that they had indeed tried to pull Esme from the lodge but had settled on sending the poor young doctor with Carlisle, instead.

"I think we all need to sit down for a meeting," my dad suggested, running a hand over his mustache. He turned to my son. "Freddie, would you run around back and call everyone into the lobby?"

"Sure, Grandpa," he replied, taking off in a sprint around the side of the building.

I felt a tug on my jeans, and I grinned down at Felix as he reached up for me. "Mommy."

"Hi, handsome," I crooned, picking him up and shifting him to my hip. "You hungry?"

"Yup," he chirped, nodding fervently.

I felt a strong arm wrap around my waist and kisses planted on my temple as everyone went on inside. Edward reached over and ruffled Felix's hair, just to hear him grunt and giggle at the same time.

"Daddy! Stop!"

Edward's chuckle was adorable, but even cuter was the slight bit of melting Edward did when called Daddy by any of the kids – especially Irina and Felix. Felix copied Freddie, but Irina had taken a bit longer. The first time she'd called us Mom and Dad, Edward and I had both been teary messes. She missed her mother, Carmen, but she loved us. We told all three of them we loved them repeatedly.

"No can do, bud. Sorry." He turned to me, his brow wrinkling a little. "Dad got some interesting news…" He held the front door for us. "This meeting should prove…eventful."

"Oh boy," I sighed.

I set Felix down at the coffee table, where the kids were all getting ready to eat. The bigger table was slowly filling up with everyone from outside. I pulled Irina's long hair away from her face, fixing the clip and kissing the top of her head when I was done. However, it was Tanya I needed.

"Half Pint, do me a favor. Stay with Irina and Felix, keep them occupied for me. Please?" I asked her, smiling when she nodded.

"Sure, Miss Bella," she replied, reaching over to tuck a napkin into Felix's shirt. "What about Freddie?"

"He's fine. He'll sit with Edward." I pointed toward the table, where Freddie was already filling his plate as he sat next to his dad.

Tanya was now fifteen…and stunning. She was every bit Rose's sister – tall, blonde, and smart. She'd shot up a few inches and developed curves in all the right places. Her crush on Quinn was still there, though she rarely showed it.

The whole group of kids was barely recognizable, really. Quinn sat with Emmett and Jasper at the other table, as did Seth, who was now seventeen. Both were tall, handsome, and sweet boys, though Quinn was really a man, filling out, with broad shoulders and an easy smile, and his quiet, musical nature was what drove the girls crazy. Janie was just as adorable as the day I'd first met her, only she was taller and closing in on thirteen. Lauren was about to turn sixteen, and she was head over heels for Seth. They'd been together for quite a while.

Tanya and Janie were our best babysitters, even though Lauren helped occasionally. Zoe, Felix, and Irina were usually pretty good for them. The whole lot of them were the future of this camp, and they grew stronger, smarter, and better every day. They could've been the complainers, considering their age, but they weren't; every last one of them was a contributing member of the lodge.

I joined everyone at the other table, taking a seat between Edward and Randall. Edward set my plate down in front of me, kissing my temple, and I smiled in thanks up to him.

Leaning to my ear, he whispered, "I had to stake claim to the potatoes, or Emmett would've eaten the whole damn bowl." He pointed a finger toward the opposite side of the table, where there was a massive mountain of mashed potatoes on Emmett's plate.

When I giggled, Edward shot me a wink and my favorite crooked smile but then turned to Carlisle. "Okay, Dad… Let's hear it."

Carlisle had taken the head of the table, and he nodded as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I've got some news. Santiago has reestablished communication with other military bases." Murmurs of shock and questions erupted from the table, but he held up a hand. "Just wait… It's as ancient as it can get. Morse code, something from the past, but nevertheless, quite effective."

"He's made contact? With others?" Edward asked, leaning forward on his elbows.

Carlisle hummed and nodded. "He has. There are…people out there doing the same as we are – surviving, developing communities, thriving, really." My father-in-law smiled, and for the first time in a long time, I saw pure, golden hope on his face. "They've gotten replies back as far east as Michigan. They're hoping for an answer from the D.C./Virginia area soon." Carlisle paused for a moment, tenting his fingers in front of his face. "Just like we're doing, survivors are taking advantage of secure locations, their area vegetation and hunting, and trying to start over. They also report back that the winters are when they do the most clearing of zekes. They ravage large cities, taking out as many of the frozen dead as they can so that when the spring comes, they have less to fight.

"What Santiago is calculating… Well, he thinks that eventually, we'll rid ourselves of the infected, but considering how many are still out there and how few of us there are…it'll take years to clean up," he sighed, frowning a little. "There is no more…government, president, or true military. The men who are working for Santiago could leave, but they don't. What families they have are staying at the naval base and are safe. They've been working hard toward three goals." He held up three fingers. "One is to get out on the water, start seeking out the living, maybe find a place that hasn't been infected, though fuel is an issue. The second thing is trains."

"Oh, right!" my dad said softly with a slow nod. "They could put the old engines back to work. The newer ones run on diesel and electricity, but the old ones were coal or steam. It would just take hard work to get them back up and running."

"Exactly," Carlisle agreed with a smile. "That's exactly what a group in Michigan is trying to do. They're working on getting here, creating a way to connect to us via the Pacific Railway. It's old, but it comes from Lake Superior straight to Seattle."

"God, that would open up…_everything_. Communication, trade, travel…just everything," Jasper noted, sitting back in his chair. "What else?"

"Immunization," the new doctor piped up, pushing his wire frames up on his nose. Alec smiled nervously but went on. "A vaccine, something to keep us safe. We're close but so far away. We've got the capability to at least…_try._"

"We'll definitely do our best," Esme soothed with a calm smile the young man's way.

"Last thing…" Carlisle stated. "Santiago will be clearing the roads into Seattle over the next few months. If you see fires in the distance, that'll be him. Okay?"

"Why fires?" I asked, looking between Carlisle and Edward.

"Fire kills two birds with one stone, Bella," Carlisle answered me. "It not only attracts the zekes but truly cleanses the area of the infected. They don't have to stop and pile them up; they just burn out. They use that tactic more in the city areas, where buildings are concrete, essentially trapping them in the streets."

I nodded, grimacing a little at the thought, but it made sense. My next question popped out of my mouth before I could stop it. "And they need _what_ from us?"

Edward snorted but reached down to squeeze my leg. "Nothing, Shortcake…" He pointed to Alec. "Except to give the doc here a place to work with my mom. That's it. In trade, Santiago will continue to give us information. He'll be back in a few days with some ammo and fuel."

Alec smiled my way. He was a handsome thing in a shy, nerdy sort of way. Dark hair, big brown eyes, and youthful skin, but there was an intelligence there that was hard to miss. He'd seen some pretty ugly stuff, I'd have been willing to bet… Then again, we all had.

"This is the new commerce, Bella," Alec said softly. "Trade…a bartering system. There's no other way to move on. Money means nothing now. It's useless paper and metal. We've all got to start from scratch. This country was the richest on paper at one point, but now…we've got to reestablish ourselves. We'll eventually run out of what was left behind by those before us, and we have no alternative but to learn to _make_ things again. Everything…fuel and ammunition being a couple of things. We have to also pick up where we left off on some things…mining, manufacturing, farming, and shipping. Trade amongst ourselves is imperative, not to mention overseas again, which will most likely be years in the future. And we can be smart about it this time."

He sat back, looking up and down the table. "This…vaccine we're trying to make doesn't really matter in the great big picture. Those who have survived this long have learned to do so on shear will and strength and intelligence. They'll pass it on and on and on…" He trailed off a little but looked to Carlisle. "Eventually, someone will need to call all the shots again, like a president or someone in charge. People need it; they need someone to turn to. Someone like Santiago will step forward and take responsibility for us all, and that's a good thing, because it'll be better than before. There will be no greased palms, no backdoor deals, no personal agendas. It'll be for the good of who's left, for who's gonna still be here," he finished, pointing toward the table full of kids. "The virus has erased the blackboard. We can make this new world what we want it to be."

"Only if we work together," my dad added.

Alec smiled again, adjusting his glasses. And I caught Angela's face as she stared at the guy; there was definitely curiosity there. If that was the case, then I hoped it worked out. She deserved to be happy again.

He let out a deep breath and nodded. "Exactly. If we work together."

**~oOo~**

_Two years and two months after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

I strolled out onto the dock, taking a deep breath and letting it out. The night was warm and clear, with every star shining above me. They reflected off the surface of the lake. And off in the distance, a deep orange glowed above the trees. Santiago's men had started to work their way up the 101 and into Seattle. With such a large city, I couldn't imagine the amount of zekes they'd have to destroy.

I sat down on the bench near the end of the dock. The only sounds I heard were the slight splashes against the pile-ons and the groans of the zekes in their pen. Esme, Carlisle, and Alec had needed new specimens, so Edward and Jasper had brought them a couple. They'd removed their arms and bottom jaws, tying them to a tree, but they still could make noise.

It was rare that I went into the clinic that held Esme's work, but I'd just left it. It now resembled Frankenstein's lab to me. Jars and bottles held zeke body parts, the equipment was constantly working, and the smell was a combination of death and formaldehyde.

A perfect flower appeared in my vision, and I smiled, looking up to Edward. He knelt in front of me, his face filled with such warmth and concern that I couldn't help but lean in to kiss him.

"Mom said you'd come out here, but she wouldn't say why, Shortcake," he whispered, as if speaking out loud would scare me off.

I nodded, reaching up to rake my fingers through his hair. His face was a touch scruffy, but I'd grown used to it. When I first met Edward, I loved him clean-shaven, with smooth skin, but that wasn't always possible now.

"It was… She needed some blood to work with, so I donated to her cause," I told him, smiling when he laughed a little. "She tested me…for some things."

His head tilted. "And?"

"And…nothing. Negative all the way," I told him, feeling a little melancholy about that answer, but I shrugged a shoulder. I swallowed thickly, a lump forming in my throat. "I don't think…I can get pregnant, Edward…on or off the birth control."

Edward's face stayed calm, but he nodded, lifting my fingers so he could kiss them. "You were hoping for a different answer?"

I gave a sniffly-laugh. "No…yes…maybe?" I grinned at his chuckle. "I got pregnant with Freddie on birth control, so I was thinking maybe this was the same thing, but…no. It's not anything to do with wanting it to be different, but still…"

Edward nodded, cupping my face. "It's okay. We'll be fine, no matter what. I can't… No, _we_ can't get any more perfect, Bella. We're good. We need nothing. Understand? I get it, but you need to know that my heart, my life is full and good – really good – without changing a thing. We have two beautiful boys and an amazing little girl, sweetheart. I can't fathom anything better than that. And they're all ours. I love each of them as if you'd given them all to me, not just Freddie." His fingers pinched my chin gently to make sure I met his eyes. "Stop the pills if you want, baby, and if it happens, it happens. But if we never have another baby, Shortcake, we'll still be just as perfect as the day I met you."

Smiling through tears, I grasped either side of his face and pulled him in for a kiss. "I love you," I sighed against his lips, and he smiled as he echoed it back to me.

Lifting my hand that held the flower he'd brought me, he raised an eyebrow at me. "Now…you're not gonna ask what this is?"

"Um, a daisy?"

He chuckled and nodded. "Well, yes, but it represents what today is…"

My brow wrinkled as I tried to figure out what he was talking about. "Edward…I'm…"

His grin was sweet, a little devious, but a whole lot sexy. "Twelve years ago today…I stepped into Shelly's Bar for the last time before I shipped out for Afghanistan. I'd already fallen for this really pretty brunette that worked there, you see. And…"

My voice was barely a whisper. "Oh, God, Edward… That's today?"

He laughed softly. "Yeah. Our first kiss and first dance." He stood up in front of me, holding out his hand for mine. "There's no music, but I can still kiss you, hold you."

I was up and wrapped around him before he could blink, but his chuckle shook us both. He hummed a bit, but otherwise he just swayed us back and forth, dropping kisses to my head, my temple, and finally my lips.

Pressing his forehead to mine, he smiled so sweetly. "You…have no idea how much I needed you, how much I wanted to stay, or how much I wanted to make love to you before I left, but it didn't seem right."

Grinning, I bit my lip. "Me, too. You were so…nervous and sweet and…"

"Scared. Shitless, right?"

Giggling, I nodded. "Yeah, but I was done for when you walked in the door of the bar that last night, Edward. I was yours. I just…I didn't know how to deal with it and you leaving…"

Edward's lips brushed over mine. "Tell me."

**~oOo~**

_**Forks, Washington**_

_**Twelve years prior…**_

_My books were spread out on the table of the booth. Shelly was busy stocking up bottles and glass mugs behind the bar. My notes, homework, and the passages I was supposed to be reading were all a blur, not a single word making it into my brain._

_I gazed at the empty seat across from me, my heart beating fast at who had sat there not even five days prior._

_Edward Cullen._

_Jesus, I didn't think he could get any better looking than when I'd first seen him in high school. Even my first day at FHS, I'd noticed his tall, lean form, his happy, crooked smile, and his gorgeous face. And I wasn't the only one. He seemed to attract attention in every class, every hallway, and every sporting event. Guys got along with him, the teachers adored him, and every girl watched his every move, including his pretty girlfriend, Kate._

_But it had been a few years. Edward only became better looking, and there was no Kate anymore. There was me. He wanted to see _me_ before he left for Afghanistan._

_I groaned, setting my elbows on the table and burying my face in my hands. I didn't know what to do. I wanted everything about him because I'd already seen that there was more to the man I saw in the hallways of FHS. He wasn't just a hot guy; he was sweet and protective, silly and funny. He had moments of awkwardness that only added to his cuteness level. And on top of all that, he was strong and kind and gentle._

"_Bells?" I heard softly in front of me, and I pulled my hands away from my face to see Shelly sitting there. Her eyes were warm, concerned, though a touch amused. "Wanna talk about it, sweetpea?"_

_My mouth opened, but I snapped it closed._

_She chuckled a little. "Goodness, that handsome thing has you all twisted up, huh?"_

_My calm faded, and I groaned. "Oh God… Shelly…what do I do?!" She raised both her eyebrows at me to elaborate, and suddenly, it all came spilling out. "He's…not what I thought he was in school. He's better. Amazing. So damn sweet! But…but…"_

"_He's leaving. Shipping out…tomorrow, right?"_

_My eyes welled up a little, simply because it had all become so much. Too much, really. I nodded slowly. "Yeah, tonight's his last night before he leaves."_

"_You like him?"_

_Groaning again, I nodded. "So much. He's called me every night he's been back home, ever since we talked here. He checked on me after the whole Jacob thing. He'll be here in…" I glanced up at the clock on the wall above the bar. "Ten or fifteen minutes. I just… He's leaving, and I don't know what to do!"_

"_I don't understand." She giggled like a kid when I glared her way. "Bella, listen to me… If you like him, then his leaving won't make any difference. Women have been shipping men off to war for centuries, and while some didn't come home, some did. Sure, you'd be taking a chance, but you'd be taking a chance on him, even if he bagged groceries over at the Food Mart. Every relationship is a risk. Always. Even the safest of situations are a gamble. This is no different."_

_She reached across the table and covered my nervously wringing hands. "I saw his face the night Jacob was in here. Bella, that boy was all in. He would've fought tigers for you. He practically shoved that cousin of his out of the way, his eyes barely left you the entire time he was in here, and I'm not sure I've ever seen you smile like that…especially since you ended things with Jacob. That boy is _not_ Jake. You can see that from a mile away."_

_I shook my head. "No, I know. But what if he doesn't come home?" I finally voiced the biggest fear that had been plaguing me._

"_But what if he does?" she countered with a wry smile. "Take a second and think about Edward's side. He's facing scary things, and he might just need someone to talk to while over there. You'd be surprised how much you learn about someone, about _yourself_, when you exchange letters."_

_I saw headlights in the window, and my heart picked up speed because I knew it was Edward's truck. My frantic gaze met Shelly's calm one._

_She squeezed my hand. "Think about it, sweetpea. Could you send him away…_right now_?" she asked, just as the door pulled open._

_Edward stepped into the bar, wearing dark jeans and a black button-down shirt, his face clearly eager to see me, but his eyes were wary, nervous. Aside from how gorgeous he was, his mere presence made me tingle from head to toe and feel so very at ease at the same time. It was so far from how Jacob made me feel, especially when Edward's eyes finally landed on me and the most heartbreaking, beautiful smile broke out across his face. He made me feel wanted and special, like I was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen._

"_God, no," I whispered to Shelly, shaking my head. "Not a chance."_

_She giggled again, standing up from the booth. She dropped a kiss to my forehead. "I didn't think so. Place your bet, Bella, but I think you'll be surprised. If you live your life worrying about the 'what ifs,' then you'll miss out on the 'could bes.'"_

"_Okay," I barely muttered aloud._

_She smiled, turning to face Edward. "Okay, kids. It's a quiet night. If you need me, I'll be in my office working on my supply order."_

"_Yes, ma'am," I told her, knowing for a fact that she didn't need that order until next week._

_Edward thanked her but then faced me when Shelly disappeared into the back room. He slid into the booth across from me._

"_Hey."_

_I grinned. "Hey, yourself." I closed my textbook, stacking my papers on top of it and shoving it all to the side. "Want a beer?"_

_He smiled, but his eyes seemed to be drinking in every inch of my face. "Yeah, that'd be great."_

_I slipped out of the booth and walked around the bar to pour him a draft from the tap. When I turned around, he was at the jukebox, pushing buttons. A song started, and he smiled my way._

"_C'mere, Shortcake," he said, taking the beer from my hand and sipping it before setting it back down on our table. "Dance with me?"_

_I couldn't say no, even if I wanted to, and I didn't want to turn him down. He looked like one negative word from me would shatter him. Setting a hand on his strong shoulder, I let him pull me closer._

_The song was pretty, the man's voice pleading about being friends…or more. It made me step closer, wrap both my arms around his neck, while his own wrapped around my waist. Soon, we were simply hugging as we swayed to the music._

"_Bella, I…" his voice trailed off in my ear, and I lifted my head from his shoulder to look up at his face. His forehead fell to mine, his eyes squeezing closed. "I…" he tried again, only to groan and press his lips to mine._

_A fire lit up my entire soul, causing my own sound to escape before I kissed him back. Hands and fingers gripped clothes, hair was pulled, and when tongues tasted, I was practically shaking with want. Breaths pushed out against cheeks when we turned our heads the opposite way, but finally we broke apart, staring at each other in shock and awe and want._

"_Christ," Edward hissed, licking his lips, but his eyes were dark and sad. "Bella, I can't… I want to promise you…every-fucking-thing, but…"_

_For the first time, I truly saw how scared he was about shipping out. He was leaving everything and everyone he knew and going into something dangerous. He may have been strong, but I could see the fear._

"_It's not fair to you, Shortcake. It's wrong, but…"_

"_Hey," I whispered, placing my fingers on his lips. "Why don't you let me worry about what's fair to me, hmm?" I tilted my head a little, understanding what Shelly had been telling me about his fear and the "what ifs." I didn't want to let him go, but I'd take whatever he could give me. "I just… I want you to be safe over there. I'm not going anywhere." I gestured a finger around the bar. "I'll still be right here when you come home."_

_He smiled. "Can I write to you? E-mail?"_

"_And call and send smoke signals."_

_Edward's chuckle shook us both, but he nodded, finally relaxing a bit. "I promise…I'll do my best to come home, to stay safe over there, because… Bella, I just found you."_

_Nodding, I couldn't say anything to that. I just knew I couldn't let him go. It would've killed me to do it, and I'd happily write letters to him if that's what he needed._

"_God, you're so beautiful," he whispered in awe, shaking his head slowly. His fingers trailed down my face to my chin, tilting my head up so that he could kiss me again._

_We stayed wrapped around each other, swaying and kissing, for another two or three songs. I lost count, or maybe my brain went all fuzzy when he was kissing me, but it didn't matter. I was as charged as an electric wire by the time I pulled away. I wanted him. I wanted him like I'd never wanted anything before, but I wasn't sure my heart could take giving him all of me, only to never see him again._

"_Edward, I…"_

_Understanding melted his features, and he lifted me to a barstool, stepping between my legs. "I need… Oh, God, baby…I want you." He swallowed nervously, pressing his lips to mine briefly. "Give me…time. Give me something to fight for, to stay safe for, because I don't want to hurt you. Ever. And to give into _this_," he said, gesturing between us. "If something happens, I can't hurt you like that. It would be selfish and wrong, and this is…important."_

_I studied his face, reaching up to run my fingers through his hair, which seemed to calm him immensely. I could see it all in his eyes. It would be _so damn easy_ to fall in love with Edward Cullen. It wouldn't take much. If he wasn't leaving, if he wasn't so damned scared, and if we could take our time, I'd be head over heels in love with him in no time flat._

"_I want you to do something for me, Edward," I spoke softly, sounding much more confident than my heart was feeling._

_He nodded, looking me in the eye. "Anything, Bella. Tell me."_

"_I don't want any other promises, except one to stay safe…and if you need to write or call, do it. I'm here. I'll be in this boring town, going to school and working, and I'll _be here_ when you come home. Okay?"_

_He nodded, whispering, "I promise," before capturing my lips again. His hand left my face, only to press to my heart. "Be still, sad heart…Into each life some rain must fall. I wish…I had more time. I wish I'd come into this bar sooner. I wish a lot of things…but I don't regret this. Not a minute of this week, Bella."_

_Smiling up at him, I pulled him closer, capturing his legs with my own. "Me, either."_

**~oOo~**

"Fuck, I wanted you," Edward said with a groaning laugh and a shake of his head. "Oh, so badly. I couldn't, though. It wouldn't have been right. And I couldn't make love to you and leave; it would've killed me."

"Well, Mr. Cullen," I purred, kissing his chin and then his lips. "Now, you can make love to me anytime."

"I plan on it, Shortcake," he growled into my neck, but he popped back to look me in the eye. "Did Shelly really say those things?"

"Oh, yeah," I told him, nodding. "All of it."

He seemed to absorb that information with a touch of sadness in his eyes, most likely because Shelly Cope had not survived to see this new world.

"I'm not sure how much I believed, until you walked in the door." I shrugged a shoulder. "Just seeing you…"

Edward grinned but leaned down to kiss me. "Yeah, Shortcake. Me, too."

I pulled at him until our foreheads were touching. "Edward, take me upstairs. I want to love on our kids, and then we need a shower."

He laughed, reaching down to lift me up into his arms and carry me up the dock. "Yes, ma'am. That's an offer I can't refuse."

**~oOo~**

**EDWARD**

_**Highway 101 just north of Forks, Washington**_

_Two years and six months after Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

The highway was quiet as we made our way back toward Lake Crescent from dropping Alec off at Fort Warner. He and my parents had made some major headway with a formula they'd been working on for months. They'd been afraid to test it, simply because they weren't sure what would be the outcome, but Santiago had wanted to try. Hell, he was willing to volunteer himself, but they were going to wait. They'd had a breakthrough. Using Sasha's blood and a watered-down version of the virus, they'd put together something not unlike the flu shot. However, testing it on a human being was scary for everyone, so Santiago wanted it on base if Alec tried.

While we'd been on base, he'd shown us how he was communicating to other bases, other cities. In fact, just as we'd started to leave, he'd received word that the Michigan group had succeeded in starting up an old coal train engine. It would only be a matter of time before they started to travel. That would open up amazing possibilities for the future.

My truck was pretty damn full. My dad had wanted to see Alec's lab, and Charlie and Freddie had simply wanted to see the base. Bella, Sasha, and Felix had stayed back at Lake Crescent. Most everyone was quiet, except for Irina, who had begged to come with me. The little chatterbox was singing to herself as she stared out the window of the back seat.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine… You make me happy when skies are gray…" she chirped, and I watched her in the rearview mirror. She was happiness and silliness incarnate, and she had me wrapped around her little finger. And she knew it, which was why she was with us in the first place; I simply couldn't say no to her some days. "Sing, Freddie!" she commanded, and my son shook his head, rolling his eyes before staring out the passenger-side window.

They were total opposites but a force to be reckoned with when teamed up against Bella and me. Where Freddie was meticulous and smart, Irina was charm and big brown eyes. They put those together, and no one could resist – not a single grandparent, not a single woman at the lodge, and certainly not me. Bella could, though it was a struggle. She'd tell me _someone_ had to fight it, which made me laugh.

"Daddy, make him sing!" she yelled, making both grandfathers chuckle.

I looked to Freddie, who was glaring at me, daring me to say it.

"No? No singing?" I chuckled at him. "Your mother used to sing that to you when you were a baby."

"Dad…" he groaned, his brow furrowing in a way that looked just like Bella. "She's been singing it since we left."

"Felix would do it!" Irina argued, pouting adorably, but it didn't work on her big brother.

"Felix is three. I'm too old for that song, Rina." I smiled at his nickname for her, which had stemmed from Felix's inability to say his sister's name correctly. It had stuck. Most of us called her Rina.

My dad barked out a laugh but said nothing. Her Grandpa Charlie, on the other hand, merely pushed her to keep going, which she did with a great, big smile on her face. I snorted, shaking my head and turning my attention back to the cleared-out road ahead of me. I could see the man who had raised Bella, the single father. He was calm and patient, but he was indulgent, too. He treated Irina and Felix as if they were his own flesh and blood, although it was the same for my parents.

I slowed the truck down when my eyes caught stumbling movement ahead. I wasn't quite sure what I was seeing. A small herd of zekes were slowly crossing the road, weaving around the cars that Santiago's men had pushed off to the side. They seemed to have their sights set on something, but I couldn't see exactly what until we got closer.

A low, black blur shot out from the middle of the heard, practically collapsing in front of the truck, and I had to slam on the brakes to keep from hitting it.

"Holy…" I muttered, my curse catching, simply because I knew the kids were in the car.

My dad and Charlie sat forward but then exited the back seat of the truck at the same time.

"Rina, you stay put. Okay, baby girl?" I said, shifting the truck to park but leaving the engine running.

"Okay, Daddy," she agreed as she tried to see out the windshield.

I turned to Freddie. "Arm yourself, kiddo, if you're getting out."

He nodded, hopping down out of the truck and running around to the truck bed, where his crossbow resided. He'd gotten damned good with it, better than he was with his old .22 rifle. He was aiming and shooting before I could stop him, but it was Charlie and my dad I went to.

Right in front of the bumper of the truck was a heavy-breathing, wounded dog. He was solid black – a lab, if I'd had to guess – and he was bleeding. Two paws had split pads and were raw and swollen, there was a cut – or maybe a zeke bite – along his back leg, and the poor thing was too damn skinny.

My dad was tending to the wounds while Charlie stood up to help Freddie clear the small herd of zekes. It was rare to see a large group of them anymore. They could've been wandering in the forest for some time, but most of the local zekes had been exterminated. Santiago's men had slowly worked through small towns in and around Olympic National Park. They'd burned several sections of Port Angeles and the edges of Seattle. They'd also told us there were several small survival camps running along the West Coast– some they took into the base, and some were doing okay on their own…like us.

Scared amber eyes looked at all of us looming over him, and he started to panic, but my dad and I soothed him.

I ran a hand over his head. "Easy, boy."

My fingers located a collar, and I felt around for a tag, which I found. With a clink of metal, it gleamed in the sun.

"Well, hey, Sam," my dad crooned, smiling at my chuckle when he'd read the tag over my shoulder. "He should be okay," he said, pulling out a bottle of water to not only clean a wound or two but to give the dog a drink, which he took greedily.

"Reminds me of finding Sasha," I said with a chuckle, but my gaze snapped up when I heard Charlie's and Freddie's voices get loud. "Oh, fuck!"

I was on my feet and running toward them. Freddie was holding his own, but it was Charlie who was in trouble. He'd tripped or something, and had zekes falling on him. I didn't even waste time with my crossbow but pulled out my .45 and popped off three rounds, killing the closest threat.

As I fell to Charlie's side, I saw the problem. A large truck had been shoved off the road, but there was a greenish-gray hand latched on to Charlie's leg. Flattening to the asphalt, I killed the bastard, but the red stain on Charlie's jeans caused my heart to sink.

"It bit you?" I asked him, getting up and dragging him back a few feet.

"Grandpa!" Freddie yelled, falling next to Charlie.

I felt a hand grip my shirt, and Charlie pulled me down to face-level. "You… You tell Bella… You tell my little girl…"

I was shaking my head. I didn't have a fucking clue how I was going to tell Bella about her father. Suddenly, Freddie was pulled to his feet by my dad.

"Freddie, go watch the dog. Give him some of your rations. Go!"

Freddie's wide eyes shot to my dad, but he didn't argue, simply got up and did what he was told.

My dad, reaching into his backpack, turned Charlie's face his way. "I can try, Charlie… Tell me now…" He pulled out a dangerous-looking syringe, popping off the cap and thumping it to get the air to the top.

Charlie simply nodded, barely grunting out, "What've I got to lose, right?"

I flinched when the needle slammed home into the vein in his forearm, but when my dad pressed the plunger, Charlie practically bowed up off the road and growled in pain through gritted teeth.

In all reality, Charlie would've already started to turn, but we waited.

"Grandpa Charlie!" Irina sobbed, and I held up a hand.

"No, no, no, Rina! Stay with Freddie. Stay right there, please, baby!"

She sniffled and then started to cry in earnest. Freddie, who was watching us from where the dog was in front of the truck, called her name.

Looking back to my dad, I could see sweat beading on his forehead as he continued to check over Charlie.

"He… He's not turning," I whispered.

"If the formula is correct, he won't," Dad replied. "But I need to be sure, so…" He didn't finish that sentence, but I knew he was waiting for the virus to either take hold or the vaccine to succeed. He busied himself with cleaning the bite on Charlie's leg. "Charlie?" he asked, glancing up to my father-in-law's face. "You still with us?"

"Yeah, but this shit burns!"

Dad glanced up at me, only to go back to the wound. "Perhaps we caught it in time… Maybe the burn is the vaccine fighting the virus," he muttered to himself.

"It's been…well over thirty seconds. He would've turned, Dad."

"I know." A small spark of hope flickered in his expression. "I know, son. Keep your fingers crossed."

A shiver ran through Charlie, and I looked down at his face. It seemed calmer, more at ease.

"Talk to me, Chief," I ordered, placing a hand on his chest. His heart was beating heavily beneath my touch, which to me, seemed like a good sign.

"I'm… I feel…"

Dad and I leaned closer, waiting with bated breath for his answer.

"Okay."

My breath caught in my throat, and I shot a quicklook to my dad. His expression would be comical, if not for the circumstances. His eyes were wide, his hands still worked on the wound, but a small, pride-filled smile quirked up the corner of his mouth.

"Mom did it," I whispered, shaking my head.

"Hold that thought, son," Dad said, wrapping gauze around Charlie's calf. "I want to get him back to base. We're a closer drive there than to home. I want Alec to check him over before we go back."

What he didn't say was that he didn't want to bring an infected Charlie back to camp…or back to Bella. It would shatter her sweet heart should something happen to any of us, but this was her _father_.

"Okay, let's get him in the truck…"

"The back," Dad interrupted, giving me a stern look. "No chances. The virus could still take hold. You won't want him in the cab if that happens."

"Copy that," I sighed wearily. "And the dog?"

We glanced back toward the truck, and I shook my head. It seemed as if Sam knew he'd just found a safe haven, because my kids were being licked from head to toe and loving every second of it as they fed him bits of venison jerky and chicken. I snorted, cracking a small smile.

"Never mind. I guess he's going," I answered my own question.

I helped Dad load Charlie into the bed of my truck. Sam was exhausted and his feet were sore, so I helped him into the backseat, where Freddie and Irina climbed in after him. But Freddie slammed open the back window.

"Grandpa Carlisle…"

"I'm doing my best, kiddo. Okay?" was all my dad answered, but he locked gazes with my son. "Just…gimme some time."

"'Kay."

The drive back to base was nerve-racking. I kept an eye on the two men in the back, as well as the dog that my kids were already in love with – they seemed to be telling Sam all about Sasha.

"You'll have a friend when we get home," Irina cooed, tugging on his ear before giving him some more food from Freddie's backpack.

The men guarding the gate saw us coming at top speed and immediately opened the gate to let us through, though they were calling out to others to announce we'd come back.

Santiago looked a little worried when I came to an abrupt stop just outside the building where Alec's lab resided.

"We need Alec! Like _now_!" I ordered, running around from the driver's side to the tailgate. I pulled it down with a slam, jumping up in there to help my dad. "How you doin', Charlie?" I asked, but my mouth fell open. Charlie looked…fine. Perfect, if not for the wound on his leg.

"What happened?" Alec asked, rushing to the end of the truck.

"He was bitten. We had a herd stop us on the 101," Dad explained. "I gave him the vaccine."

"How long ago?" Alec gasped, reaching up to help Charlie down.

"Well over...ten minutes ago."

Everyone came to a standstill around us – Santiago, his men, even Alec.

"It works," Santiago barely said aloud. "Seriously?"

Alec nodded vehemently. "It would seem so, but let's get him inside. I want to monitor him for a few days."

Charlie groaned, rolling his eyes in such a way that I couldn't help but chuckle a little. He looked just like his daughter.

"Shut up, Edward," he snapped but then smirked at me. "Leave me with them. Go home."

"Not yet, Chief," I replied, giving his shoulder a squeeze just before they went inside the building. "Let me make sure what's going on with you. I don't… I can't do that to her, Charlie."

The mention of his daughter caused him to sober up a little. "Yeah, she'll…" He sighed, meeting my gaze. "Okay."

Turning around to help the kids with the dog, I came face to face with Santiago. He looked…shocked, awed, and a little nervous. I'd known of the guy when I'd been stationed there at Fort Warner. His reputation was that of a fair but tough CO. Now, with all the changes in the world, he was shouldering a hell of a lot of responsibility, and he was doing a damn fine job at it. Where he could abuse his position, he didn't, which made me respect him.

"If this works…" he whispered.

Smiling a bit, I gripped his shoulder. "It'll change _everything_."

It took twenty-four hours for Alec to announce that Charlie's blood was virus-free. The entire base practically cheered. He'd tested it just about every hour, but just about the time Charlie was losing patience at being poked, prodded, and stuck in bed, he was cleared to leave the base.

We left Alec to start working on a large quantity of the vaccine, which was renamed an anti-virus. Life as we'd known it was about to change. No longer did we have to worry about a zeke bite.

I lifted Sam, who was looking a little better but still quite sore, into the truck.

"I miss Mommy," Irina whispered against my cheek when I set her in next to the dog. Her deep-brown eyes met my gaze, and I grinned, dropping a kiss to her forehead as I echoed the sentiment. "She's gonna be worried. We were gone too long."

"I know, baby," I told her, but I looked to Freddie when I said. "So you guys make sure to love on her lots when we get home. Big hugs, lots of kisses. Okay?"

Both kids smiled and nodded, but it was Freddie who said, "Okay, Dad."

**~oOo~**

_**Blackwood Lake, Washington**_

_Three years and five months since Hurricane Beatrice made landfall…_

Bella fidgeted in the passenger seat of the truck. It was such a moment of déjà vu that I wanted to laugh, but I couldn't. I pulled to a stop outside the cabin that seen it all – from giving Bella and me a place to truly fall in love, to sheltering my family while I busted my ass for six months across the country to get to them. This little wooden building had seen it all.

Shutting off the engine, I gazed around the old camp. There was evidence left behind that we'd packed up in a hurry so long ago. There were no zekes wandering around, though I could see one or two skewered to the old fence, just like when we'd lived here.

The old camp had seen three winters since we'd left, not to mention countless rainy days, and it showed. The cabin that belonged to Charlie had seen better days. There was a small tree toppled over onto the front porch, which had crumbled the steps. Jasper's cabin had a few missing shingles from the roof and the front door was a little crooked, and my parents' cabin was wide open, which meant someone had come through looking for supplies. I'd expected nothing less than what we were seeing.

We'd been so damn busy, not to mention safe at Lake Crescent, that this place was almost forgotten. We'd seen the anti-virus come to be a true and usable reality. Charlie was the proud guinea pig, having been the first test. We'd had three weddings in the last year alone – all performed by General Santiago. Alec and Angela were the most recent, Jasper and Alice before them, and the most surprising was Charlie and Sue. He'd come so fucking close to dying that day that he didn't want to waste another second. He got back to camp, asking her in front of God and everyone.

Life was moving on, too. We'd lost so many along the way, but we were now growing. Jasper and Alice just celebrated the birth of their little boy, Caleb. Rose was expecting some time in December, and Emmett was ecstatic. We'd seen two litters of puppies, thanks to Sam and Sasha.

And finally, we'd seen the first train come through to the north side of our lake. Humans were carrying on, and the zekes were slowly dying out. Winters were deemed zeke-hunting season, where large groups would head out to destroy what was still left out there. We were more than surviving; we were now flourishing. We were winning against the virus that had been unleashed over three and a half years ago.

I took in my own cabin, happy to see it didn't look too bad. The railing on the front porch was warped, cracked, and crooked, but the fortified windows and the front door seemed to be intact. I had so many memories of this place. Jasper had given it to me as a high school graduation/joining the Army gift. He'd done it with a crooked smile and deviant intentions, saying it could be a bachelor pad, but that wasn't how I'd seen it. I'd loved this lake, loved coming here as a kid, and to me, the cabin had been my getaway. It meant something to me. I'd gotten drunk for the first time here, hunted here, and fished the little lake behind me. And even though I'd still been with Kate when I'd received his gift, she'd never seen it. She'd broken up with me not long after she went to college. Hell, I was still in basic training.

It had been Bella. It had been her all along. She'd been the first and the last girl I'd ever brought here. It had been _this place_ that I'd dreamed about when stationed overseas, and when I needed something to fight for, it had been the thought of showing Bella this place. When the world crashed, it had been this place that I'd sent Bella. It was my escape, my safe haven, and my end goal to all things bad. Seeing it again gave me a sense of peace.

Gazing over at my wife, I smiled when I saw she was watching me. "Damn, Shortcake, I didn't think we'd see this place again."

"Why are we here?" she asked with a sweet giggle, but her eyes took in the building in front of us.

"Charlie wanted me to check on it. Make sure it was still standing," I told her, turning in the seat to face her, but my head fell to the head rest just to stare at her.

God, I used to drive her crazy when we'd come here. It was our escape, our tiny vacations from her work and my job on base. I'd tease her the whole drive up here, only to kiss her stupid when we'd finally stop the truck. Reaching up, I tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

When her eyes broke away from the cabin to meet my gaze, I smiled, trailing my fingers down her cheek. "You know… You're just as beautiful today as you were the first time I brought you here."

She blushed a little but shook her head. "I was so nervous…"

Chuckling, I nodded. "I know, baby. I didn't mean to rush shit back then, but damn it all if I didn't need you here…alone. You're all I thought about that first tour overseas. I just… I wanted it all with you." I brought her lips to mine, kissing her softly. "And I got it. I got everything I ever wanted and then some."

She smiled. "I got just as much, you know."

I kissed her again, smiling a little as I pulled away, dragging my tongue across my bottom lip. "It's your birthday, Shortcake. What do you want as a present? I brought the quilt."

Her laugh was stunning and loud and made me laugh with her. She leaned in to kiss me roughly, still giggling a little.

"We shouldn't stay long, Edward," she chided, though there wasn't much oomph behind it.

"We won't," I promised with a smile, but I sobered quickly. "I've made you a shit-ton of promises in our life, Bella, but I hated that I couldn't promise you this place again. Now I can. Things are starting to really settle down, and I just… I needed to give this back to you."

"And to you, too," she surmised, smirking at me, but she kissed me again. "I'm happy to see this place again."

I sighed in want and love and just happiness. "I told you, Shortcake…the rain doesn't always last. It may have taken its time, but…things can't stay bad."

She leaned in, her fingers slipping into my hair as she suddenly kissed me for all she was worth. Again, it reminded me of that first time I'd brought her here. She'd kissed me just like this when I told her she couldn't mess up, that I'd already fallen for her. I was just as lost to her now as I was then, if not more. She was my best friend, an amazing mother to three healthy kids, and she and I had been through hell and back.

She broke away from my mouth, pulling my forehead to hers. "Edward?" she panted.

"Hmm?"

She giggled at my lazy smile and inability to stop kissing her. "Edward…take me inside, and bring that quilt. There's something I want to do…"

I barked a laugh but nodded. I opened the truck door and pulled out the bag I'd packed. It felt good to have our place to escape again. It felt normal and real, and it felt like _us_ again. I knew we only had a few hours, but I loved that I could finally keep one last promise.

Bella took the quilt with a sexy laugh, leading us inside. She seemed to be on a mission, so I simply followed her. She spread the quilt over our bed, and once I set the bag down, she tugged my hand, pushing me down onto the edge of the mattress.

My girl looked nervous as she stepped between my legs, but her face was beautiful, with pink cheeks and a sweet smile.

"I have something for you, Edward."

"What? No, baby… It's _your_ birthday…"

"Shut up, Edward," she said with a laugh, grasping either side of my face to give me a giggly kiss. "Trust me… This is for me, too, and it's sort of perfect that we're here."

My brow furrowed as I watched her. My mind fought through a thousand memories of this place as I tried to pinpoint what she was hedging around. When tears started to well up in those warm, beautiful eyes, my heart hurt.

"Baby… Shortcake, you're scaring me…"

"I'm sorry." She sniffled, trying to get herself together. Finally, a brilliant smile broke through the tears. "I saw your mom yesterday. She…um…"

I stopped breathing, my eyes raking all over her. Suddenly, the memory of sitting in this very spot a little over ten years ago hit me hard. Bella had been acting just about the same way. Happy, nervous, scared, and hopeful…all rolled into one gorgeous package as she told me she was expecting Freddie.

A gasp escaped me as my own tears blurred my vision, but I pulled her closer between my legs. I cupped her face, but then touched her everywhere, almost to make sure she was real. When my hands found her hips, they instinctively moved to her tummy, rubbing reverently.

"You aren't!"

"I am." She laughed and sniffled at the same time. "Esme thinks somewhere around six weeks."

I didn't say anything, my mind sort of shut down, which made Bella nervous, so she started to ramble.

"Edward, I know it's a risk, but we're better now, safer. I just… We said we'd let nature take its course when we stopped the pills… I honestly didn't think it would happen, but…"

I don't think I could stop myself if I tried. My lips met hers in a rough kiss, but gently pulling her to me by the back of her neck. We'd wanted a big family when we got married, and when she had Freddie, we took our time. Now we'd have what we'd always wanted.

"Oh, God…" I breathed against her lips. "We're really doing this? You're really pregnant?"

She nodded, more tears falling down that beautiful face. "Yes," she whispered, smiling at me.

My first reaction was to demand her constant safety, watch her like a hawk, and take her right back to the lodge so we could keep her under my mother's care…and inside that damn fence, but I stopped myself. We were so good. We were more than good. We were safe, and we were prospering. We were together, with a growing family and growing community. And it seemed fitting that she'd waited to tell me here at our cabin – the place that meant so damn much to us.

"Edward, you okay?" she asked, raking her fingers through my hair.

Smiling up at her, I nodded, leaning down to kiss her tummy and then wrapping my arms around her. I'd told her back when things were scary, back when I'd finally made it across the country, that things couldn't always stay bad, that life truly had to find a way to move on. It seemed we were proving it. Death and viruses couldn't stop life from continuing. I kissed her tummy again, kissed the new life we were bringing into this new world, finally meeting Bella's sweet face.

"Oh, Shortcake, I'm beyond okay. I'm…absolutely perfect. I promise."

**~oooRMFooo~**

**A/N… That's all folks. ;) **

**I know it's been asked of me for a sequel. As of right now, I don't see one, but I've learned never to say never. We'll just leave it at that. Do I have something coming? Yes, but I merely have notes jotted down, so I'll be taking my time on it.**

**I need to thank all my pre-readers for all their input, support, and love. GooberLou, DrivingEdward, inkedupmom…you guys are so very helpful and I couldn't do this without you. Thank you to Beffers87, who makes all the pretty pics, not to mention lets me run off at the mouth at her. She takes my rants like a champ! LOL **

**A huge thank you to Edward'sEternal for her behind the scenes cheerleading. I hope you and I have a killer 2015, sweetie. 2014 can go stuff itself.**

**And Jenny…thank you so much for all you do. It's more than just cleaning up my comma-whore ways. I love you with a sickness. MWAH!**

**Finally, I need to thank each and every reader for the love, the reviews, the recs, the pimping, the squealing, the cheering, and the tears. You guys make this so much fun. You guys give me the escape from RL. You make me laugh and want to hug you all. So thank you so much!**

**I'll be back, but I'm not sure when. So until next time… Mooches, Deb ;) **


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